


The Kids Aren't Alright

by babyhoney16



Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, American Horror Story: Coven, American Horror Story: Murder House
Genre: AHS, Antichrist, Dark, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Time, Ghosts, Gonna get dark, Halloween, High School, Loss of Virginity, Love, Murder House, POV Outsider, POV Third Person, Paranormal, Possible Character Death, Slow Burn, Smut, Teen Angst, Violence, Virginity, Warnings May Change, apocolypse, bc this is about the devil folks, cody fern - Freeform, langdon, murderhouse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-07-25 19:42:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16204355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyhoney16/pseuds/babyhoney16
Summary: "Maybe he wasn't a good person."





	1. Envy

**Author's Note:**

> Hellooo everyone, first chapter. Takes place at the time of a young Michael Langdon senior year. Hoping to make this a full story if the first few chapters go well! xxxx

It was a typical Monday for anybody but Envy Anna Morris, who sat in her homeroom seat of senior year, fiddling with a pink pen, anxiously waiting for the day to be over. For somebody to come save her from this hellish school. For something good to happen for once, even though she knew nothing would.  
Her dark brown, nearly black hair sat below her nipples, straightened and glossy, a stark contrast to her usually wavy hair. The top half of it was pulled up into a ponytail, front pieces and loose wisps framing her face. She hated it any way other than that, but only put in the effort on special occasions, such as the first day at a new school.  
She rarely put much effort into anything, at that. Her skinny frame typically sported a hideously out of style and incorrectly sized sweater, and jeans of some sort, converse on her feet no matter what the occasion, typically a color that simply did not match. It was something she thought to be endearing, but nearly nobody agreed.  
This sense of blasé non-caring carried into more than just her looks. While she may have cared deep down, she came across like somebody who didn’t. She was a non conformist, never following what was on trend or what was acceptable. This typically did not bother her, as she liked who she was most days, but today that was unfortunately not the case.  
It had only been one week since she and her family had moved to LA from their quaint home in northern California. Her family weren’t typically the type to move, as they had in fact never done it before, but her father had gotten a job offer he couldn’t refuse. And while Envy thought she was an adult, legally she was still under the iron grip of parental control until her 18th birthday the following December. She hated every part of the move. 

“I don’t understand why you have to uproot us all just because dad got a job. He cat just move down there alone for a few months?’  
She had plead with her mother merely a week out from the move. She had pretended it wasn’t happening up until that point, a fantasy her mother had indulged her in. She responded as kindly as she knew to in hopes her stubborn daughter would give up the fight.  
“No. Were a family and were staying together.”  
“Well what if I don’t want be a part of the family mom? I can stay with other family. Im sure Aunt Tracy would be more than happy to have me around help out for a few months. Im going to be an adult in less than half a year. So is Ivan. I don’t want to spend my senior year in some shithole school in a shithole suberb in the shithole city of LA, and I’m sure your son doesn’t want to either. ”  
She sad, morn serious this time, speaker for herself and her twin brother.  
He mother did not take kindly to this, slamming down the book she was reading  
“You listen to me Envy Anna. This is not up for debate. I don’t care if you’re almost an adult legally, because emotionally you most certainly are not. You won’t make it without me or your father and you know that. So I suggest you start packing your shit.”  
“This is fucked up even for you two.”  
Envy spat before charging out.

She sat in her homeroom class recalling the unpleasant encounter, dreading the classes she had to come in the day. Most of her classes were going to be with juniors and sophomores, due in part to class overlaps and missing credits from her old school, but also because of her lack of effort put into academics. She was never one for math or science.

She had wanted desperately to make friends, but nearly everybody was underwhelming in one sense or another. She hadn’t been popular in her last school either, sticking to a small group with mutual interests. Though she had met one girl in her first class, Anita Black, who had spoken to her during roll call.  
“Remy Harold Lischeck… Brittany Rose Marks.. Envy Anna Morris”  
Her hand raised, fingers gently fluttering as the teacher marked her present.  
“Envy Anna? Sounds close to Anita… which is me.”  
The girl said, seeming suspiciously eager to strike up a conversation.  
“Thats a stretch, but sure. Envy Morris.”  
Envy whispered with a small smirk.  
“Sorry, I know that was stupid. But I needed an excuse to talk to the new girl. You’re from upstate right?”  
Envy nodded, whispering  
“El Dorado. Just got in Saturday actually.”  
“Where are you living?”  
“Like five minutes from here, over in country club park.”  
“Oh sick, I live like five minutes out from there. Weird shit goes on around there though. Some house in there is like, infamously haunted. A bunch of break ins and murders. Hope you guys got a security system.”  
She said, sounding completely serious. Envy was taken somewhat aback by the girls boldness, but didn’t question it, as they were starting their reading in a workbook.

The majority of the day was unremarkable. French 2 came and went with ease, English, while under stimulating, was fine, and calculus was a blur, since she didn’t once pay attention, instead spending the class people watching out the classroom window.At least 80 kids passed by, whether passing by or sitting outside on the shitty wooden picnic tables. None of them were remarkable to Envy.  
Her mind was fixated a set of birds in a tree over by the edge of the schools courtyard. Two blue birds sitting together, then flying in circles in unison with one another. Envy had a soft spot for animals, one of her very few soft spots at that.  
There was merely a minute left of class, or bird watching, when Envys gaze was disrupted by a beautiful boy. She wasn't one to fawn over men. She enjoyed the chase of a man, and had dated people prior, but she rarely felt a connection just by looking at somebody. But she felt it in her gut when she looked at him.  
He was tall, clad in all black. Black t shirt, ripped black Jens, and a set of tall black combat boots. She smirked at the sight as he walked past the tree where the two birds were nested. The two flew off almost immediately after being disrupted by the man walking by en route to the beautiful boy.  
While Envy couldn’t hear, she could tell he was being chastised for one thing or another by the teacher, who was very clearly yelling. The strawberry blonde looked unbothered, refusing to look at the man, instead scanning the courtyard and then the school building. Her heart skipped a beat as she was him walking away with the teacher, past the window she was sitting by, and then out of view.  
Her final class for the day was painting, the one thing Envy was genuinely excited for, in part because she was an artist of sorts, much to the disliking of her parents. Her mother was a nurse, father head of a marketing firm. It was a wonder how they ended up with children as odd as Envy and Ivan.  
The other portion of her excitement cane from the fact that she would see a familiar face, Anita, who had debriefed Envy on the entirety of her weekly schedule.  
She walked into the room, seeing the blonde girls smiling face, thankfully with a seat saved next to her.  
"How was your day? Fill me in! Any nasty teachers? Any good classes?"  
She said, genuine caring in her voice as Envy dropped her bag like a ton of bricks into the tile flooring.  
"Pretty boring actually. How was your day?"  
Envy replied, trying her hardest to seem invested. She wanted to be, but she wasn't one for small talk.  
“Pretty good, I think I met your brother. Speaking of, did you meet any hot boys? This must be so exciting for you, fresh meat”  
Anita laughed, whilst stifling through her bag. People were beginning to file in and sit, pulling out their belongings, chatter filling the room. Envy took this opportunity to tell Anita of the boy, since nobody else would hear.  
“Actually yeah. Well, no.. I didn’t exactly meet him, I saw him.”  
Anitas head snapped up from below the table, green eyes wide with a smile on her face, slapping Envy arm in excitement.  
“Oh my god WHO?! Tell me. What was his name?”  
“I don’t know I didn’t get that far. I legitimately just saw him from my classroom window.”  
“Im sure I know him, what did he look like? I could totally set you up with him I bet.”  
Anita beamed in a confident tone.  
“He had this really warm blonde hair, he was kinda tall. He..”  
“Alright class, settle down please..”  
The sound of the teachers shrill voice cut through the room, shutting Envy up. He went on for a 10 minute period that felt more like an hour, rambling about the importance of art, when a saving grace showed up in the form of Michael Langdon, pushing open the door and disrupting the peace.


	2. nosebleed

“Nice of you to join us. A little late but ill let it slide on the first day. Im Mr. Gordon, name please?”  
The teacher stated, pausing the entire class. All eyes landed on the boy, for one reason or another, as he ignored the teacher. He blew past Mr. Gordon, black backpack slung over one well toned shoulder as he walked to the back of the room towards one of the only empty seats.  
“Him. Thats him.”  
Envy whispered almost inaudibly into Anita’s ear, her blue eyes keeping their gaze on him.  
“Oh lord Envy really?”  
“Yeah… why? He’s really cute.”  
She whispered, confused as to the aversion Anita had to him, as well as her face of mild disgust.  
“Excuse me? What is your name?”  
The teacher asked more annoyed now, taping his finger on his clipboard as he smugly said  
“I need It for attendance. You’re marked as absent.”  
The whole class was watching as the boy sat down in a chair, just one over from Envy, and muttered  
“Michael. Its Michael.”  
His voice was low and smooth, something Envy took note of.  
“Michael what? I need your last name, theres other Michaels in this class.”  
Mr. Gordon said harshly, being hostile for almost no good reason. It was evident Michael was uncomfortable, left leg rapidly bouncing against the floor, the zipper on his combat boots jangling against the leg of his chair. He looked down, refusing to look in the teachers direction.  
“Im only asking one more time..”  
“Michael Langdon. Its Langdon.”  
He groaned, before slumping back In his chair and looking off to the far wall in the classroom.  
“Thats why.”  
Anita said in a hushed tone, looking at Envy with serious eyes.  
“I mean he’s a little off but he doesn’t seem bad.”  
She whispered, Anita responding with  
“Ill tell you about it after class.”  
Envy nodded looking back at Michael, who now had his eyes closed as he leaned back in his chair. Class had returned to the near silence as the teacher droned on about the required materials, sucking the fun out of art itself. Envy didn’t notice though, fitted on the strawberry blonde two seats over. His head was leaning back, looking quite uncomfortable, his brain running a mile a minute with a mixture of anxiety and disgust about his class. He despised school, and despised the people in it, particularly the prickish teacher standing in the front of the room. He wanted Mr. Gordon to shut up, desperately.  
Envy’s daydreaming about him was disrupted by the sound of a loud thud. Her head whipped around to find the source, a particularly big bottle of acrylic paint which had fallen from a shelf in the front of the room, busting open and coating the floor. A few girls in the classroom jumped, as well as the teacher who groaned as the thick purple liquid splashed back onto his khaki pants. Envy looked up in shock, half laughing at the sight, wondering how it had happened as there was no disturbance in the room that should have caused a spill like that. Like it had come out of thin air. Like magic.  
“Oh my god, this is great.”  
Anita said, laughing as a few of the kids up front stood up to go get a janitor, everybody talking and laughing. Envy barely noticed, looking over at Michael, who had a grin on his face, eyes now open, clenched fists under his desk. He looked nearly as amused yet confused as Envy did, until he felt a dull throb in his head. It was closely followed by a wetness dripping from his nose, which he found to be blood after further inspection. A few drops left his nose, splashing down on the black table top, his right hand shooting up to block the blood from continuing to fall.  
Mr. Gordon was too busy to take notice of this, but Envy was not, wincing at the sight before saying  
“Anita look.”  
The blondes head turned to look at Michael, then back to Envy, responding with  
“Why don’t you bring him to the nurse office, get to know him. Make your own decision about him.”  
Envy shook her head no, a nervous laugh slipping out of her before she said  
“I don’t think he’d like that.”  
But Anita didn’t care, yelling forward to the frazzled teacher  
“Mr. Gordon, Envy is going to bring Michael to the nurses office, his nose is bleeding.”  
He didn’t even look up, waving one hand in approval then returning his focus to wiping the paint off his pants.  
Michael was already standing up, not worrying about whoever it was that was going to walk him to the nurses office, grabbing his backpack and starting to walk towards the door. Envy was shocked, frozen in her seat, only to be shaken out of it by Anita, nudging her and mumbling  
“Go. You’ll be fine. Go.”  
Envy nodded, before grabbing her bag and getting up to follow him.  
“Hey… are you alright?”  
She said, speeding up behind him as he walked out into the hallway, not turning to look at her.  
“Are you okay? Hello?”  
She said, now feeling foolish for even bothering to walk him. She didn’t even know where the nurses office was. She was out of her element, physically and mentally. She never flirted with boys or chased after them, especially physically.  
“Can you stop for a second please? I’m trying to fucking help you. You’re literally dripping blood.”  
She yelled, now coming up on his side, peeved that he was brushing her off. Even if he had no interest in her, there was no reason for him to be an asshole about it.  
“Im fine.”  
He muttered, slowing down and turning to tell off whoever was behind him. He assumed it was going to be one of the many weird bitches from the art room, since the majority of the class was artsy or indie girls who thought they were something special, or goth girls who wanted a slice of him. Whether he liked it or not, many women were attracted to him, regardless of his family name and bad attitude.  
But he wasn’t greeted by any of the unsavory people he expected to see behind him, instead a new girl. Somebody he had never seen in the halls before, or been bothered by in years prior. Instead he was faced with a beautiful girl. ‘She’s very pretty,’ he thought to himself, a sentiment that came and went quickly. He wasn’t girl crazy, rarely worrying about women, but he was most definitely attracted to whoever the girl in front of him was.  
“You clearly aren’t. Hold on.”  
She said, the two of them stopped in the hall as she pulled her pink backpack off, opening it and rummaging through her bag to find a small pack of tissues, which he mother had forced her to pack, even after Envy had insisted she wouldn’t need them. Thanks mom.  
“Here. At least take these.”  
She said, now annoyed after having to physically chase him down to get his attention. He forced a half smile, taking one from her and wiping away the blood from his nose, then off of his right hand.  
“Thanks.”  
“Just keep those. Are you gonna go to the nurses? I don’t really know how to get there.. its my first day. but I can walk with you if you wanted.”  
She said, looking up at him with doe eyes. ‘He’s taller up close’ she noted.  
“No I’m fine.”  
He said plainly. While he would have usually tried a little harder to indulge in conversation, especially with somebody so attractive, he wanted nothing more than to leave the school and walk home. His grandmother would kill him if he skipped, but he didn’t car much for rules or meeting other peoples expectations.  
Envy was embarrassed and fed up, looking away from him and zipping back up her bag before dryly saying  
“Alright. Fine. Good luck with your nose.”  
And turning around to walk back to her class, leaving a bloodied Michael to his business.

“Well how did that go?”  
Anita asked as the two walked out of the art room,.  
“Horrible. He barely even said anything. He was kind of an asshole actually. I wasted my tissues on him.” Envy said, digging through her bag to grab her keys as they rounded a corner towards the buildings exit.  
“Yeah, that sounds about right. He’s really moody. You’d think with a last name like that he wouldn’t be such an ass. Like if I was him, i’d be so friendly to make up for it.”  
Envy was incredibly confused. ‘His last name? What does that have to do with anything?’  
“What?”  
“OH god I’m stupid sometimes, I forgot to tell you. Its common knowledge around here, somebodies got to fill you in.”  
Anita said, looking over at Envy as they walked towards the parking lot of the high school.  
“So he shares a last name with this guy Tate, Tate Langdon. He used to go to a school a town over, Westfield high, in the 90’s. He shot up the fucking school. Killed like, 15 people. Really fucked up stuff. He was shot dead a day afterwards so I couldn’t tell you how, but they’re totally related. People say they’re cousins, or Tates his uncle or something, but I swear to got thats his dad. He must have gotten somebody knocked up before he died. The timeline adds up, he died 18 years ago. Ive seen pictures of Tate for myself, and they look so much alike its creepy.”  
Envys brows furrowed at the thought, stomach churning at the sound of the information being relayed to her.  
“Thats horrible. I kind of feel bad for him actually.”  
She said quietly.  
“I mean I guess. Most people don’t say anything about it, I mean theres no definitive proof, he never talks about it. But some kids are assholes to him. If he was a little nicer maybe people wouldn’t give him such. Hard time.”  
Anita said, the two now reaching the car filled blacktop. It was evident that this wasn’t sitting well with Envy. No wonder he’d been so hesitant to say his name in front of everybody.  
“Alright, well enough of that for now. It was nice of you to give him tissues.”  
Anita laughed, unlocking her car, parked a row down from Envy and Ivans shared car.  
“Ill see you tomorrow. And don’t worry yourself about Michael Langdon. He’s weird with everybody.”  
Envy was shaken up as she shuffled down to her car, greeted by her brother standing by the passenger side awaiting her arrival. He nodded up at her as she unlocked the doors, carelessly throwing her bag into the back, Ivan following suit.  
"Lets get out of here" He said sounding less than amused, making it evident that Envy wasn't the only Morris twin who'd had a shit day.  
"Gladly."


	3. jesus of suburbia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a longer one folks, hope you like it

“I don’t think I can hack another day in that hellhole. Everybody was so weird. Like they’d never met a new person before.”  
Ivan groaned before taking a big swig of his oversized Slurpee. His lips were turning blue, Envy’s red from the cherry flavored dye as they trailed down the road home in their shared black Corolla. The speakers were blaring the only band they could agree upon, Green Day, as they bitched and moaned about the day.  
“Me either. If you’d asked me a year ago, I would’ve never thought I’d say this... but I actually miss El Dorado. I miss drinking by the lake and going to our own shitty high school… this one doesn’t stack up.”  
She said, getting sadder the further she got in the sentence. She missed her friends and her old life desperately. While things were by no means perfect in El Dorado, she was happy there. Comfortable there.  
“Well it’s only the first day, maybe it will get better. Could be worse... we could have moved to Idaho or something lame like that.’  
Ivan said, earning a small laugh from his sister (more a grin and exhale, but those close to envy knew to take what they could get.)  
“Anything interesting happen for you today?”  
She asked, wanting to talk about something more positive.  
“Not really. My teachers were nice enough, saw a kid on a skateboard eat shit in the courtyard. Felt bad for laughing, but it was kind of funny. How about you?”  
Envy sighed, not wanting to unload her Michael Langdon fascination onto her brother. ‘He was rude and he’s clearly trouble, get over it. You’ll be fine.’ She thought to herself. She had been shaken up over the art class mishap, chasing him down, and Anita’s theories on the Langdon name, but it wasn’t something to report on.  
“My art teacher had paint dumped on him last period, it was pretty amusing. Kind of came out of nowhere though. Like nobody was moving or anything… this huge jar just fell off a shelf out of nowhere.”  
Envy explained, looking off onto the road she was driving.  
“Sounds like… MAGIC!”  
Ivan yelled, jumping towards her and grasping her right arm. Envy’s heart jumped into her throat, jumping in a panic, causing the car to swerve into the opposite lane for a split second. Unfortunately for Envy, traffic was heavy on the road. The black car rutted out of the opposite lane and away from an oncoming car, but too far to the right, finally hitting the curb. The two sat in shock as the airbags deployed, nearly whacking Envy in the chest, the front right of the car beginning to sink as the front tire deflated.  
“Ivan what the FUCK!”  
She shrieked, breathing fast as she quickly pivoted to face her twin, long hair whipping to the side. Her hands were digging into the steering wheel, frozen with white knuckles. Ivan was just as bad, right arm still glued to the ‘oh shit’ handle that it had shot up to grab moments before. The sound of 'Jesus of Suburbia' blared alongside the panic alarm that had begun to go off, cars honking at the trashed vehicle as Ivan mumbled  
“Well, we’re fucked.”

 

Michael took care to keep his front door from slamming when it swung open, an attempt to keep from disturbing his grandmother who was surely in the kitchen, smoking a cigarette awaiting his arrival.  
“You’re early.”  
She said plainly, hearing him come in regardless of his efforts.  
“Hi.”  
He said quietly, walking into the kitchen, hoping to move through without incident.  
“Got call from your school… you showed up late. And apparently left early.”  
She said, now adjusting in her chair to look at her grandson.  
“What could have possibly been so important that you needed to miss School. The first day of school Michael?”  
Constance spoke with a hostility. Michael knew better than skipping. It had been an honest accident. He’d overslept that morning and had to walk to school, setting him back even further then he’d been in the first place. When he had gotten to the school, he was immediately given trouble by a group of boys in his year, who were in the parking lot by the side door. Asshole jocks liked to harass him for being different, which he tolerated even though he could have easily stopped it from happening. He was strong in ways even he didn’t understand, let alone control.  
By the time he had gotten of the near miss-altercation in the parking lot, the day had slipped away and it was the middle of the day. When he tried sneaking in through a side door in the courtyard, the principle had caught him, dragging him into the office for the first of many unpleasant interactions he was to have that Monday.  
“You know, it wasn’t like I was going to miss anything important. And I showed up, didn't I?"  
“Michael, my beautiful boy,”  
Constance started, putting her cigarette out on her ashtray and standing up from her chair, housecoat flowing behind her.  
“You are so gifted. Talented, intelligent. Why is it that you cannot just behave? Go to your classes, make some friends, get a hobby. Something other than brooding in your room. Hell, maybe meet a nice girl. Enjoy yourself and all this life has to offer for just a minute Michael. Try harder.”  
She cooed, running the back of her hand over Michaels smooth skin. He looked at her, trying his hardest to act like he wasn’t bothered, even though he very much was. Everything she was saying was right. He didn’t make friends, and while it had a lot to do with the stigma of the Langdon curse, he knew if he tried he could be something great. He knew that he wasn’t living up to his potential.  
“You’re a miracle Michael. Start acting like it.”  
She said, the sincerity and harshness of her words cutting into Michael like a knife. He couldn’t do anything but look at Constance, then down at his feet, head hanging low in shame. She backed away now, moving over to the far side of the kitchen and leaning her weight against the sink. They stood there like that in silence, the only sound being the wind chimes outside of the open window Constance stood before. After a moment of simmering by the sink, she turned to grab her purse, rummaging through it to grab a $20.  
“Please go get me a pack of smokes.”  
He nodded, taking the cash from her hands and walking out the way he had come.

“You did WHAT?!”  
Mrs. Morris shrieked, fire in her wide eyes as she glared at her daughter.  
“Mom it was an accident, I wasn’t on my phone or something like that. Ivan scared me and I just swerved for a second”  
Envy said, feeling her stomach drop. It really had been an accident, not even Ivan’s fault.  
“Oh my god Envy. This is just… I mean... Envy I don’t have time for this! We JUST got here! We don’t have money to be shelling out on car repairs! I start at my new jobs tomorrow.”  
“It was an ACCIDENT mom, what don’t you understand about that!?”  
“I don’t care if it was an accident. You need to pay closer attention to things. Not everything is about you, you don’t even think about other people. This is incredibly inconvenient!”  
“And you haven’t even apologized Envy.”  
She was vibrating with pent up anger by now, her thumb picking away at the glossy black nail polish she had put on the day prior. She had tried to hold her tongue, keep composed; she was at fault for fucking up the car, but she couldn’t contain her frustration any more.  
“Mom you never apologized for ruining my life.”  
He mom let out a laugh.  
“Don’t be so Dramatic.”  
“I didn’t ask to move here. YOU dragged me 6 hours away from home to this town. I could give a FUCK about some airbags and a set of tires. You’re the selfish one. You and dad both.”  
The air fell quiet, her mom standing with her mouth hung open in rage and shock at the words leaving her daughters mouth. Envy wasn’t sticking around to be berated any longer, moving from her spot in the living room over to the entry way of the home.  
“Where are you going?!”  
“For a goddamn walk.”  
Envy growled, holding back tears. slipping on her first shoe, closely followed by the second as she walked to the door, making sure to slam it on the way out.  
She was freezing, too rushed and blinded by frustration to have even thought to put on a second layer before leaving the house. She wanted nothing more than to be curled up in the fetal position under a warm blanket. To be cuddled up and blocked off from the world. Her attempts to fight off the urge to cry were failing, a few tears rolling down her face; not out of sadness, but frustration. She wasn’t a particularly sensitive person, but the past week had tested her strength.  
It was a quiet night outside, even though it was only 9 at night. Her half on sneakers that she had shoved past her fuzzy black socks were scuffing against the pavement, making a truly obnoxious sound as she walked through the neighborhood. When she reached the end of her short road, she turned onto the next street, unsure of where she was going. Envy didn’t care; she would have walked all the way back to el dorado if she could. She carried on like this, freezing cold and crying for another street, and the one more, before turning a fateful corner onto the next street, where she saw a man standing by the road, cigarette in hand. All of her common sense said to turn around and just go home. She was out of her element. On a dark street alone at night, a hooded figure in her path. Any normal person would have just walked home, but she had a feeling that she would be alright, continuing to walk through the suburb, wiping away her tears and running mascara.  
As she grew closer she made sure to cross to the other side of the road, hoping to avoid any interaction with the man. But as she reached the opposite side from where he was standing, she saw a familiar face.  
“Michael?”  
She said, nose stuffed causing her voice to come off shaky. Her tone gave away to him that she had been crying.  
Michaels blue eyes narrowed, squinting to see the girl from the hallway. He wasn’t an overly sympathetic person, usually coming across and cold and uncaring, but he could tell she was upset even from where he stood 20 feet away. His grandmother’s words resonated when he saw the state the girl was in; _‘make some friends… try harder.’_  
“Hey.”  
He said, half waving to her with menthol cigarette in hand. She looked nervous, checking each way before crossing the road to walk to him. Michael found it amusing, as the road was empty. a ghost town.  
“I wouldn’t normally ask, especially from a stranger, but can I get one of those?”  
She asked, shivering as she spoke. He hesitated a moment, looking at her and knowing if he shelled one out he might as well have gone back to the store and grabbed another pack for his grandmother. But a mixture of guilt for 1, being so blunt with the girl earlier, and 2, pity for her sad looking self, led him to think she probably needed one more than Constance. Pulling one from its sleeve, he handed it to her, grabbing his lighter, and flicking it on for her as he said  
“I’m not really stranger. If I was you wouldn’t have come over to me.”  
She half shrugged at him.  
“I never got your name,”  
He said lowly, looking into her glossy eyes as she inhaled, igniting the end of her cigarette. She laughed as she exhaled before retorting with  
“You didn’t seem to care to get it.”  
“Sorry about that. I’d like to know it now if you’re willing to give it up.”  
She let out a small grin, the dark light on the street disguising the fact that she was blushing at his words.  
“Envy Morris.”  
He smiled before quietly saying  
“I like that, it’s fitting.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“It’s pretty.”  
Her lips curled into a smile, looking down at her feet. She looked messy, but Michael found it endearing. It dawned on her that she looked like shit, the oversized black graphic t was hanging off her freezing body, and she knew there was makeup smudged around her bloodshot wet eyes. She wanted him to stop looking at her in the state she was in, but he didn’t. She finally crooked her head up, seeing his bright blue eyes fixated on her.  
“Are you alright?”  
He asked, knowing she probably wasn’t.  
“Oh, uhm yeah. I just… got in a car accident today. I’m fine but the cars fucked. Gonna have to walk to school and everything.”  
He took a deep drag of the cigarette, contemplating whether or not to offer her help. _‘Go to your classes, … meet a nice girl._ ’  
“Do you live around here?”  
She nodded, “I live 2 blocks over that way.”  
He saw on her face that she was intrigued by him. Envy was hanging on his every word, no matter how brief he was being. She looked at him with intent and intrigue, which excited Michael greatly.  
“I can drive you, if you wanted. I live a few houses down.”  
If it had been anybody else, Envy wouldn’t have ever agreed to take a ride. She liked her independence, but she liked the idea of this boy chauffeuring her more. He was giving her the attention she had been waiting for, craving all day.  
“I’d like that.”  
He smiled, with teeth and all.  
“Just drive that way, take 2 rights and I’m house 21. its yellow.”  
She said, trying her hardest to stay cool despite her excitement.  
“Okay… I’ll get you at 7 tomorrow?”  
She nodded at him, taking a last hit from her cigarette before dropping to the ground and outing it out.  
“Well I’ll see you tomorrow Michael.”  
Envy turned on her heels, starting the short walk home with a smile on her freeing but flushed face. For the first time since she had been forced into the move to Los Angeles, Envy had something to look forward to, in the shape of a mysterious blonde boy.


	4. mixtape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody, sorry I haven’t updated in a while, schools been a force this past week.  
> Also, after seeing last week’s episode, I know there’s some continuity issues in this. This is clearly not cannon, but its sticking to the major plot points of apocalypse

Envy took care to wake up early the next day, nearly an hour earlier than usual. She made sure to do her hair perfectly. To wear her favorite red shirt that showed off her slim belly, along with the jewelry adorning it. To put on extra lip gloss. To try and impress the boy coming to get her.  
“Good morning.”  
Breathed Mrs. Morris, perched by the coffee pot in the kitchen. She still wore her pajamas, looking tired both physically and emotionally as she poured black coffee into her travel mug.  
“Hi.”  
Envy said, trying not to indulge her mother in conversation. It hadn’t gone well with her father when she got home from her excursion the night prior. In her mother’s words, he truly had ripped her a new one  
“The cars not gonna be out of the shop until Sunday, so you’ll have to take the bus. I can’t drive you, I’m already running late... It picks you up a few blocks down, by that creepy old mansion.”  
She said without turning to face Envy, who sat at the table, eating a yogurt cup she had snagged from the fridge.  
“I got a ride actually.”  
“What about your brother?”  
Envy shrugged, grabbing her backpack off the floor.  
“He’s almost an adult, I’m sure he can ride the bus without his sister here to protect him.”  
Mrs. Morris shot a warning sign to her daughter, eyes darting towards her. a cue to stop.  
“Who’s driving you?”  
She said, keeping eye contact, serious as a heart attack.  
“A kid from my art class, he lives around here.”  
“A boy?”  
“Mom, stop.”  
Envy groaned, hostility in her voice as she got up from her chair and grabbed her bag off the floor. She sat in a state of silence, looking longingly out the window, waiting for Michael to arrive.  
It wasn’t long before a red convertible pulled out in front of the house, envy quickly standing up and starting to walk to the door.  
“Who’s that?”  
Ivan said, walking up behind her, causing Envy to nearly jump out of her own skin.  
“Fucks sake Ivan, did we not learn from yesterday?!”  
“Sick car.”  
He said, gesturing towards the vehicle out front, ignoring Envy as she huffed at him, grabbing her backpack and walking out the door. She sped across the lawn, a sneaking suspicion that either her brother or mother were to follow her out onto the front steps and say something embarrassing in front of Michael. She reached the car quickly, swinging the door open and hurriedly sitting down. He kept his eyes on her from behind his black sunglasses, watching as she pulled the seatbelt over her breasts and stomach, clicking it into place before looking up at him. His eyes were fixated on her soft skin, thinking of how she must have felt. But the thought came and went quickly.  
“Good morning.”  
He said with a smile, turning back to face the road before taking off in the direction of the high school.  
“Thanks again for the ride”  
She said, leaning back against the headrest, wind blowing her hair.  
“I couldn’t let you take the bus... you’re too cool for that.”  
He said sarcastically, shifting gears on the car and speeding up as they turned onto the main road.  
“I actually am, I’m glad you picked up on that.”  
She said with a laugh, tucking her legs up and under her, knees up against her chest. The car was quiet, as Michael wasn’t huge on music; it just wasn’t how he’d been brought up.  
“You have any CDs?”  
“No... I don’t think so”  
Envy crooked her head, looking over at him.  
“No cd’s? What do you listen to?”  
“The radio, whatever my grandmothers playing I guess. I have some old mixtapes stored away from my dad. stuff from the 90’s.”  
“Nothing new then?”  
“Nope.”  
The ride was remarkably short, only 5 minutes from their neighborhood until they reached the brick building, looking remarkably like a prison.  
“Wish we had art today.”  
She said quietly, sighing as she grabbed her bag from the floor of the car. Michael uncomfortably shifted in his seat at the thought of the teacher, which Envy ignored. He whipped into the schools parking lot going a speed too fast for Envy, which she also ignored.  
“I can drive you home if you want.”  
Michael said, pulling the keys out of ignition. She nodded, a half smirk on her face.  
“Just be back here at 2:30… I hate waiting.”

 

Envy and Michael did this for the next 2 weeks. They didn’t speak much outside of their 5 minutes of morning and midday bliss, much to the chagrin of Anita, who gawked when Envy revealed who’d been driving her to school after the car accident.  
“Why don’t you hang out with him outside of here then? If he’s being normal in the car then I’m sure he’d be normal in real life too.”  
Anita said.  
“I don’t know, what would I even do with him? I can’t invite him to my house, my parents are fucking crazy. And I have no idea what goes on with him at home… I think he lives with his grandma, he doesn’t talk about it.”  
“Okay well ask him to go to the homecoming dance with you!”  
Envy groaned at the thought.  
“Oh, come on, everybody goes. Even brooding boys like Michael Langdon should be there.”  
‘She’s not wrong’ Envy thought to herself, walking out of her final class for the day to her locker, just a few down from Michaels as the school had them assigned by last name. He stood by his, turning to smile at her when she walked up to him, then back to his locker where he was in the process of shoving his math book into the crammed metal box.  
“Michael?”  
She said, regretting asking before the words had finished passing her lips.  
“Yes?” He said, turning back around bright eyed to face her.  
“They’re having a homecoming dance next weekend. Not that I’m usually into that type of thing, but my mom would kill me if I didn’t go. Id hate to go alone... would you maybe come with me?”  
She said, partly lying about her reason to attend.  
“And whys that?”  
He said, a genuine spike in curiosity in his voice.  
“She’s forcing me to make friends. I think she really just feels bad.”  
Envy wasn’t lying. Her mother was in fact, feeling guilty and concerned that Envy was hanging out with Michael exclusively.  
“You have friends.”  
“Yeah, all 1, and Anita isn’t enough to consider a steady group of friends. She’s just one person.”  
She said, scoffing.  
“I’m your friend, you know.”  
He said matter of factly, catching her off guard. He wasn’t wrong, if anything, the two had become closer then she was with Anita. They had been driving together all week, and the weeks prior to that. Even once the car was done, she left it for Ivan and his new girlfriend to take, opting to drive with Michael instead. He was more than happy to do so, even if Constance was not. The two had grown accustomed to each other, which was something Michael had never been too comfortable with. It wasn’t in his nature. But something about her seemed genuine and caring, which he rarely felt from his family.  
“I know.”  
The two were standing by the lockers, with people walking by and looking at the unlikely pair, but they didn’t care. When Envy looked at Michael it was like the world stopped. They’d barely known each other a month, and she knew she shouldn’t have thought of him as anything more than a friend, but she couldn’t help but hope he wanted her as bad as she wanted him. The thought of getting to walk down the halls to that stupid dance with his arm slung around her waist was something she couldn’t shake.  
“I know that isn’t really your gig, but would you think about it?”  
She said, hoping he would crack. He looked down at her with clear discomfort, hoping she would quit it. He couldn’t say no to her even if he wanted to, but damn if he didn’t try.  
“I don’t know…”  
Envy let out a nearly silent sigh, before dropping her bag to the floor and leaning down to unzip it. He watched as she stifled through the mess of papers and pens until she found what she coveted.  
“Well you can do what you want, and I’m not trying to bribe you... but I made you this. I’m tired of listening to your dad’s mopey music and your Grandmas old timey disks every morning.”  
She said, handing him a disk in its glossy red tinted case. He took it, looking down to see his first name written in a feminine and precise cursive, with a nearly microscopic heart attached to the end of the L.  
“You made this for me?”  
He said with a weakened voice, looking up from the CD to Envy.  
“It’s some songs I think you’d like.”  
He held it tightly in his hand, like a prize, before she said  
“I have to go, I promised Ivan we could go to the mall today. Just let me know about the dance alright?”  
She said, her disappointment evident to Michael, who nodded in response before she turned around and walked down the hall, disappearing into the crowd.

 

Michael sat in his room that night with the thought of Envy in his head. He tried thinking of something else, wanting nothing more than to go to bed, but every time he closed his blue eyes all he could think about was her disappointed face when she left the school that day. He hated disappointing the people he cared about, even if he did it more often then he liked to admit.  
He sat on his bed, legs crossed in their plaid pajama pants as he looked down at the CD shed made him. The tracks were listed in her handwriting, maroon ink on a piece of half ripped notebook paper. He’d put of listening to it, almost overwhelmed by the gift. It wasn’t anything big to a normal person, but Michael wasn’t exactly a normal person. The thought that somebody cared enough to burn him a disk of songs was something special. Even if Envy and him weren’t the best friends in the world, and even if he didn’t share much with her, she seemed to be deeply invested in him, which was all Michael wanted.  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a gentle knock on the wooden door in the front of the room.  
“Come in”  
He said, leaning back against the headboard. His grandmother swung the door open, drink in hand.  
“Michael you know you aren’t meant to take the car. The last thing I need is you galivanting around town, crashing that thing and landing me in financial ruin. You’ll get arrested driving without a license,”  
Constance said nonchalantly, one hand waving in the air in attempts to get her point across, looking at her grandson as he laid in his small bed. Shed meant to get him queen but the adjustment to Michaels... changes, had been difficult. She knew he shouldn’t have been driving. She’d had to teach him herself in a pinch, spending nearly a whole day with him speeding through the housing complex they lived in. He was good enough with all things considered, but she did not want him out and about in her precious car.  
“It was to drive a friend. You want me to make friends, right?”  
He said, not looking up from the CD case, sass in his tone. She leaned against the doorframe, slightly nodding. She may not have shown it, but she was beyond elated that he’d been with somebody that morning.  
“Will I ever meet this friend?”  
She said with a slight grin. She wanted him to be happy, in hopes that if he was satisfied with his life, he would be less dangerous to everybody around him.  
“Maybe grandma.”  
His eyes scanned over the disk for a few moments, until he noticed she was still standing by the door.  
“I’m gonna need the car next weekend.”  
“For what?”  
“A dance. Homecoming.”  
She nodded.  
“But no more driving after that. I’m not in the mood to explain that away if a cop comes sniffing around.”  
She then closed the door, leaving him to his own devices. He sighed before standing up to walk to his closet in search of his father’s old CD player. The thing was clunky and ancient; Michael had never used it. It was one of the only things his grandmother had given him that belonged to his dad. Michael knew little about his dad, but he knew enough. Tate was an undesirable to say the least, but nonetheless, he was his father.  
He pulled the black box from its place in the box from the back of the closet. He took care to wipe away the dust before plugging it in. Gently removing the disk from its case, Michael slipped it into the player, the music starting as he flipped off the lights and sat back down in his bed. He curled up under the blanket, the only light provided for him being the moonlight flooding in past the blinds. The songs were melodic yet powerful. The thought of Envy picking them for him was enough to cause his heart to speed up. He didn’t understand what he was feeling but he sure as hell felt it.  
A final song was the only noise in the room as he nodded off, hearing the dulled-out audio speaking to him  
“If you'd call me now baby  
I'd come running”


	5. wear something black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 folks, enjoy it.

Envy had spent a majority of her time at the mall moping. It was an uncomfortable situation to say the least, Ivan with his new girlfriend, Bridgit, the whole time. Shed tried to get Anita to come to no avail, knowing she must have had some sort of extracurricular like she always did. She wanted to bring Michael, but after his lukewarm reaction to her invitation to homecoming, she didn’t have the nerve to try inviting him somewhere again. So instead, she dragged behind her brother and his partner, wishing she had Michael by her side. She was jealous of her brother if she was being honest. He was always cheerful, always hanging out with friends, always preforming well in school. He was far more talented than her; skilled in math and science, which were the only subjects that mattered in the eyes of her parents. He played guitar and was a member of a band back in El Dorado. She knew Ivan was the favorite twin, but couldn’t bring herself to say or do anything about it. It wasn’t his fault he was likeable.  
“Are you going to homecoming Envy?”  
Bridgit’s high pitch voice asked, looking at Envy who was browsing the candle shelf.  
“Uh, I don’t think so. Not really my thing I guess.” Envy said, the first shed spoken since they’d walked into the mall.  
“Why not? Everybody goes.”  
“So I’ve been told.”  
Envy said, coming off colder then shed intended to. Ivan strode over to the two girls, wrapping an arm around Bridgit who leaned into him as he spoke.  
“You’re not going with your whacko boyfriend?”  
Envy’s eyes might as well have rolled out of her head and fell onto the laminate floors as she carped on to her brother  
“Firstly, no. Secondly, he’s not a whacko. He’s different but he’s a good person. Third, he’s not my boyfriend.”  
Ivan put his hands up in defense and defeat, smirking at his sister before walking away and back to the clothing rack he’d come from.  
“So what if some guy isn’t going, you should still go. We were going to the dance and then heading to a bonfire at the beach afterward, you could bring that girl Anita with you if you wanted”  
Envy hated the idea of third wheeling with her brother and Bridgit, no matter how much she loved her brother and how nice his significant other was. But she refused to let any man, even Michael Langdon, ruin her plans.  
“You’re right.”  
Bridgit’s face lit up, rosy cheeks pulling into a smile before she took Envy’s arm and yelled  
“Ivan, were going next door, Envy needs to buy a hot little number for the dance this weekend.”  
He waved his hand up in approval before the two left the store.

The next day, a Friday, came and went as usual. Envy drove in with her brother and Bridgit, as her and Michael hadn’t spoken since the day prior. He usually would call her at night, or remind her on the carried home that he’d be there to pick her up, but no conversations were had that night, so she decided not to wait around for him. They had art together that day, and she was nervous for it all day. As each class passed, she got more and more anxious to see him. In all reality, she was nervous due to the cd she had gifted to him the day prior. Shed put time and thought into it in the hopes he would like it, but based on his 24 hour leave of absence from the friendship, shed deducted that he didn’t. He didn’t show up to their shared art class, which left a hole in her that carried over into the night.  
Envy was a remarkably strong person in the eyes of everybody around her, because most of the time she genuinely was. But this new town and the people in it had worn her down. She spent a majority of her family dinner that Friday sitting at the table with a melancholy expression on her face, eating next to nothing.  
“Envy your mother made this great dinner and you haven’t eaten more than 2 bites. What’s the problem.”  
Her dad said, fed up with his daughters perceived bad attitude.  
“Nothing. I really don’t want to talk about it.”  
“You don’t want to talk about anything. Ever. What is going on with you Envy?”  
Her mom retorted, putting down her silverware and staring dead center at her daughter.  
“Fine. I hate this place. I haven’t been happy here, in case you didn’t notice. This place is shit, and this family is a joke as of late. And the guy I like has no real interest in me. Is that what you wanted to hear?”  
She said, on the verge of tears. The room fell silent, Mr. Morris and Ivan returning to their meals as if nothing had happened, but Envy’s moth kept her eyes centered on her daughter.  
“You’re unbelievable.”  
“I know.”  
Envy said, before standing up, chair jutting back against the floor harshly as she walked out of the dining room and up the stairs for the night.

She spent the night swaddled in her bed, tears pouring over from her eyes until she finally fell asleep. It wasn’t soon after nodding off that Envy was woken up by the sound of a thud on her window. She turned to look over at her window, now much wider open then it had been previously. She rubbed her squinting eyes with the side of her fist, before groggily flipping over in bed to look at her clock. The time read 2 AM, which caused her to sigh in displeasure and exhaustion. ‘Probably just the wind.’ She thought to herself before closing her eyes again, attempting to go back to sleep.  
But it wasn’t long before she heard the noise again, followed by the sound of her window hitting the wall, swung fully open. She jumped, quickly waking up from her groggy state to stand up and walk to the window, expecting to see a bird or dislodged tree branch from the wind outside. But instead, she saw Michael standing on her lawn.  
“Michael? What are you doing?” She whisper-yelled down to him, crossing her arms at the feeling of the cold air flooding into her room.  
“I wanted to see you.”  
He said calmly, a slight smile on his pretty face. Envy may have been acting like she didn’t want him there, that the fact he had shown up was wrong, but truth be told the sight of him had warmed her heart. Very much so.  
“Did you open my window?”  
“It’s 2 am, you couldn’t have waited until the morning? When it wasn’t freezing and dark?”  
He shook a no at her, which caused her to half laugh.  
“No, I, I just wanted to tell you I liked the songs on the CD.”  
“Is that why you came here?”  
She asked, seeing that he was holding back from saying something.  
“I had to ask you something.”  
He said, looking up at her nervously from the lawn.  
“Go on.”  
She said, anticipation building within her.  
“Did you still want to go to that dance?”  
She felt her chest getting tighter as she looked away from him, and said almost too quietly for him to hear her  
“Yeah but I don’t think you really do. You aren’t obligated to go.”  
“I’d go for you.”  
He may not have been able to see I, but Envy was blushing at the simple offer.  
“Okay.”  
His sweet face lit up before saying  
“I’ll get you at 7 tomorrow.”  
She nodded, leaning back from the window as he turned to walk home, but not without her giving her last sentiment of the night.  
“Michael?”  
“She yelled down to him.  
“Yes?”  
“Wear something black.”

Anita came over that Saturday afternoon to help prepare Envy for the last-minute dance plans. Shed bought a dress under the influence of Bridgit that Thursday, and figured she could handle it herself, but that wasn’t acceptable to the pushy and caring Anita. She needed to help, it was in her nature.  
“That dress Is so short… he’s going to love it. You’re a hot date.”  
Anita said as she finished painting the pink varnish on her nails, looking up at Envy who had slid on her dress.  
“It’s not a date, we’re going as friends.”  
Envy said, even though she didn’t really believe it, as she examined herself in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door.  
“You keep telling yourself that… I’ve seen the way you look at him.”  
“Well even if what you’re implying is true, he doesn’t look back.”  
“He does. He watches you all the time. I catch him looking when you’re working in art class.”  
A small smile spread across her lips, which made Anita smile back as the two returned to getting ready. She stayed for the rest of the afternoon, making sure Envy’s makeup was just right, that her nails were painted and glossy, and that her hair was styled to perfection, straight and half slicked back. She wore a pair of thigh high boots, per Anita’s recommendation, even though they were a stark difference between what she usually wore. Envy’s mom harassed them the whole time they were getting ready, poking into her room more often than need be. Envy hated it, even though her friend thought it was ‘cute how much she cared’.  
Anita left just before Michael was slated to come over.  
“You could come with us you know. You don’t have to drive separate.”  
Envy insisted.  
“Nah, I have a hot date too you know. I’m going to his house to take pictures before we go. I’ll see you there okay?”  
“Sounds good girlfriend.”  
Envy said, walking her friend to the door, just to be interrupted by her mother.  
“I need a picture of the two of you! Anita you look lovely. Come here, just stand by the fireplace and well take a few quick ones.”  
Internally, envy was groaning, but she knew she’d have to power through. Hopefully she wouldn’t badger Michael when he showed up. Michael was very reserved, and her mother was a poker and a prodder. Envy hoped that the pictures with Anita would be enough, but that idea was thwarted when her mother said  
“I want to meet that boy when he gets here… the one that drives you to school. He’s coming here correct?”  
“Yes, please don’t harass him mom.”  
“I am getting a picture of you two whether you want it or not.”

After Anita left, Envy spent her remaining time of preparation sitting on the edge of her bed, anxiously waiting for Michael. It felt like a repeat of the first day he drove her to school, how she had sat in her living room, butterflies in her stomach at the idea of seeing the mysterious man. She still felt like this, every time she was to see him, and tonight was far from an exception.  
She walked down the stairs at 7, the sound of her boots clicking against the hardwood floors gave her away to her mother, who stood in the living room.  
“You look nice.”  
She said, looking at her daughter with a face of displeasure.  
“Why are you being like this? Why do you have to make this so much harder than it needs to be mom. Please don’t ruin this for me.”  
Envy said, hands slapping down against her sides. Tensions had been remarkably high in the house since they had moved in. Envy and her mother had barely spoken since the car accident, whether it be because Mrs. Morris was disappointed, or because Envy was a ‘secretive teenage girl with a bad attitude’. Regardless, a major point of contention was the fact that Envy and refused to acknowledge Michaels existence to her mom, up until the night before during her outburst.  
“I think your little friend is here. Is he coming in?”  
“I’d rather he not.”  
She said, walking straight to the front door, where she saw Michael walking up the front steps. He wore a pair of black pants, accompanied by a black button up, topped off with a maroon velvet overcoat.  
“He’s handsome.”  
Mrs. Morris said, sounding unamused.  
“I know that. Please stop acting like you care.”  
Envy swung the door open in a rush to get away from her irritable mother, grabbing Michael by the forearm and saying  
“Let’s just go.”  
They didn’t make it far off the deck before they heard a rapid fire of camera snaps, accompanied by a bright light flashing behind them. They simultaneously spun around, Envy with a fire in her eyes as she saw Mrs. Morris standing on the deck as they walked off, taking a final picture of them as she smugly said  
“Have fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s Envy’s dress btw.. felt very Michael appropriate. https://www.lulus.com/products/anything-for-the-limelight-black-and-nude-sequin-mini-dress/665572.html
> 
> Also per request, heres the playlist on the CD for Michael :)
> 
> 1\. I Only Wanna Talk to You - The Maine  
> 2\. The Kids Aren’t Alright - Fall Out Boy  
> 3\. Seratonia - Highly Suspect  
> 4\. I Follow Rivers - Lykke Li  
> 5\. El Mañana - Gorillaz  
> 6\. Daisy - Brand New  
> 7\. Single - The Neighbourhood  
> 8\. Dumb - Nirvana  
> 9\. Hate To See Your Heart Break - Paramore  
> 10\. Good Riddance - Green Day  
> 11\. Glory Box - Portishead  
> 12\. Talk - Coldplay  
> 13\. Collar Full - Panic! At The Disco  
> 14\. Happy Little Pill - Troye Sivan  
> 15\. On Call - Kings of Leon


	6. homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know I said this like 2 chapters ago... but this is genuinely a LONG one.

The two sat in Michaels car for a moment, both silently admiring each other  
“You look really nice tonight Michael.”  
She said, trying to hold in what she really thought. He looked otherworldly, his usual mop of strawberry blonde hair had been styled, by Constance of course. He was glowing.  
“You look beautiful.”  
“Thank you.”  
There was a mild tension in the air as they started driving, both of them nervous for their own reasons.  
“Where were you yesterday?”  
“I… I had some things to deal with at home.”  
She half nodded at his suspicious response, sure that there was something going on that she didn’t care to bother him about, then returned her attention to the road. Michael leaned down to the cars stereo and clicked the power button, the sound of new music resonating through the car.  
“I love this CD. I really appreciate it.”  
Michael said, looking over at her.  
“I hoped you would... that took me an entire hour to burn on my shitty old laptop.”  
She said sarcastically as they pulled up to the crowded school building, Michael parking close to the side of the road. He got out of the car first, strutting over to the passenger side and letting Envy out. Michael looked her up and down, wanting to take in the sight of her. She looked truly gorgeous.  
They were both nervous, even though this wasn’t a date, and they were just friends. It was obvious that there was something more under the surface as they walked into the school building together, handing in their tickets with the receptionist at her makeshift check in by the doors. Michael followed behind her as she walked into the schools gym, decked out in bad lighting and a shitty DJ booth.  
“Well look who decided to show up!”  
Anita said, overly excited as she hugged Envy, bombarding them almost immediately. She had a 6th sense in regard to Envy. She then looked up at Michael, saying  
“Don’t you guys look nice together!”  
She continued, knowing damn it would embarrass Envy. Michael smiled, quietly saying  
“Hi Anita.”  
“Are you here with Mark?”  
Envy asked, changing the subject before Anita could further the conversation.  
“Yeahyeahyeah, he’s over there! Oh my god I love this song, I’ll be right back!”  
She said, overly excited as she ran back over to the boy she was dancing with.  
“Well, this isn’t great.”  
Envy said, looking out at the crowd if her peers, all grinding on each other to the sound of some bad pop music.  
Michael was very clearly outside of his comfort zone, even more so than the girl awkwardly standing beside him. They weren’t the type to typically join into things like this. Michael was barely comfortable in high school, too inexperienced and young, let alone comfortable at a school dance. But Envy was determined to make the night work.  
“Let’s go dance. Were gonna have fun, I promise.”  
Envy said to him, sounding like she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince him. He hesitantly nodded before following her out onto the dance floor, placing one hand on her side so he wouldn’t lose her in the crowd  
They were both new kids, this only being Michaels second year at this school, so they drew in attention as the attractive pair walked out to the dance floor. People stared in either awe or disgust, all depending on what version of his story they had or hadn’t heard, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was him.  
They danced for an hour, much to Michaels discomfort, trying his hardest to have a good time. If he had his way, he would have left with Envy as soon as the night had started, but he knew she wanted to stay for a while, so he powered through for her. He wanted nothing more than to keep her happy, and if that meant he had to dance for an hour, he would certainly do it.  
“Do you wanna get out of here?”  
She whispered into his ear, hands on his shoulders as she stood on the tip toes of her boots to reach him. He nodded, letting her take his hand and pull him in the direction of the door. They weren’t meant to leave until the end of the dance, per school orders, but that was something Michael could work around.  
“Can you grab my coat for me?”  
He asked. She cocked her head at him  
“You want me, to grab your coat?”  
She laughed, to be cut off by Michael saying  
“Please, I need to get us out of here. Just go get it.”  
His voice was sterner this time, and though Envy was not one to be bossed around, something inside her knew he meant it. She nodded now, turning to walk over to the coat check at the front office. Michael tilted his head from right to left, preparing for what he had to do, before confidently walking up to the man guarding the door, coincidentally their art teacher.  
“Hello Mr. Gordon. Envy and I were just leaving.”  
“Mr. Langdon, you know you aren’t allowed to leave early. School rules, sorry kid.”  
He said, only looking up at Michael to give a halfhearted smirk, then looking back down at his clipboard. Michael was quiet now, clenched fist as he used all his might to force the man to let them through. He didn’t know how he did it, but with enough mental strength, he would will people to do nearly anything.  
“You’re going to let us walk out of here without a fight, or this time it won’t just be paint splattered on you. And maybe this time, I won’t miss.”  
Michael said in a low and domineering tone, referring back to that first day of class. The teacher swallowed thickly, looking at Michael, who was suspiciously close to him.  
“Mr. Gordon, is there something wrong?”  
One of the female chaperones asked, walking over to the two of them  
“Mr. Langdon and Miss Morris were just leaving. They had an emergency at home.”  
Mr. Gordon said, eyes glazed over as Michael moved his left hand, the teacher then swiftly moving aside under Michaels hidden power for them to walk through. Envy walked up behind them, whispering to Michael  
“What did you say to him?”  
in a serious tone, watching the teacher who blindly waved them through.  
“Don’t worry about it.”  
Her eyes were wide, looking up at him as he took her hand and walked her out of the school building without looking back.

The two drove around for a while, stopping to get milkshakes per Envy’s request, and ending up at the beach party that Bridgit had begged her to come to. Envy figured it would be good for Michael to meet Ivan and the other kids from their class, even if he seemed like he didn’t want to.  
“That one’s your brother, right?”  
Michael said nervously, walking closely as possible to Envy as he gestured towards Ivan.  
“Yeah, and that one’s Bridgit... and there’s Anita...”  
Envy said, introducing him to everybody one by one. He looked uncomfortable, shaking Ivan’s hand and waving to the others, telling them his name as he nervously smiled. Envy could see the discomfort in his eyes. Sometimes she wondered why he was so uncomfortable, or nervous, like everything he did he was doing for the first time. Nonetheless, she felt bad, since she had forced him to come. She made sure to stand right next to him, something he appreciated as they silently stood next to Bridgit and Ivan.  
“Want to go over by the water? We don’t have to hang out with everybody.”  
She said in a hushed tone as one of the boys across from them started telling some dumb story to the rest of the group.  
“Besides, were too cool than them anyways.”  
She said with a grin, Michael laughing as he enthusiastically nodded, taking her hand in his own. His lack of hesitation to touch her this evening had shocked her, walking along to the edge of the shore where he sat down and pulled her down alongside him. It was like it was just the two of them, no regard for the others behind them.  
“I’m sorry my mom was pushy about pictures. I begged her to leave us alone.”  
Envy apologized, sitting on his right with her legs out in front of her. It was a cold night, especially by the ocean.  
“It’s probably just because she loves you.”  
Michael said, defending the woman even though he didn’t care for her. From what he’d gathered, Envy and her mother had a strained relationship to say the least.  
“She’s a pain in my ass, but you aren’t wrong.”  
Envy stated, before adding  
“My parents really want to meet you.”  
“They do?”  
He said surprised.  
“Yeah, I spend almost all my time with you. They want to meet the ‘mystery man’ that drives me around every morning.”  
She said accompanied by a little laugh. She looked up at him to see a somewhat confused face, like his brain was having a hard time wrapping around what the girl next to him was saying. She continued  
“It’s pretty standard for your parents to want meet your friends… Don’t yours want to meet me?”  
The two stopped talking now, Envy expecting him to answer but he didn’t.  
“I think my dad used to come here… my grandma said he loved the ocean.”  
“What happened to him?”  
She asked, the words leaving her mouth before she could filter them. She was sure it was a sensitive subject; it was clear he was gone, and that Michael didn’t like talking about it.  
“He died before I was born.”  
Michael said, looking out at the water. The sound of the waves crashing and the fire in the distance took over; Envy felt bad for asking, but ever since the day she met him and Anita told her the story, she had been wondering about the mystery of his family. She’d been friends with him for a month and he had not mentioned his parents or family at all. Not even once were they mentioned, even in casual conversation.  
“You know you can tell me anything right?”  
A lump formed in Michaels throat as he contemplated what to tell her. He hated lying to her, but the idea of scaring her away with the tale of Tate Langdon made him feel sick.  
“He… he wasn’t a good person. He shot up a school. A swat team came in and shot him after the fact.”  
Envy watched Michaels face flood with emotions, ranging from sad to angry to confused. Her heart broke for him.  
“I don’t like talking about it because people think less of me. Everybody found out when I started school here.”  
“I don’t think less of you. You’re a good person.”  
“I know. That’s why I like you so much.”  
She smiled, leaning over onto his shoulder before quietly asking  
“What about your mom?”  
He looked away from the water now, fidgeting with his hands, before quietly saying  
“She died when she had me… My dad raped her.”  
Envy looked down at her feet, brow furrowed as she felt her heart sink. She realized why he was the way he was. Something like that happening before you were even born would break a person.  
“I’m so sorry Michael.”  
She said, audible sadness in her voice.  
“It’s alright, I have my grandma… and now I have you.”  
Envy would hear the innocence in his voice, the two looking at each other, both smiling like idiots, but they didn’t care. This was all incredibly new to Michael, feeling so strongly attracted towards somebody. He didn’t know what he was doing but it seemed to come naturally when he was around her. His hand instinctively rested on her thigh, thumb gently rubbing her cold soft skin. That slight touch left goosebumps on her leg. Michael leaned back and away from her, starting to pull off his jacket.  
“Take this, you’re freezing.”  
He said, placing the warm red fabric over her, then watching as she leaned back over onto him. Her head rested on his shoulder, the smell of her perfume hitting him like a sweet wave. He gently inhaled, taking her all in before she looked up at him, eyes then shifting to his lips. And like magic, something came over him. An urge, a need, to kiss her. He leaned down, barely having to move since they had been so close already, their lips gently meeting. Their eyes closed as her lips gently graced his. The kiss was small, but meaningful. Envy’s heart was beating out of her chest, in disbelief that it was really happening. He tasted like vanilla, most likely from the shakes they’d had earlier. He was sweet, and god did she love every second of that little kiss.  
While it pained him to stop, he needed to, gently pulling away, but staying close enough to press his forehead against hers.  
“I want to show you something. Come on.”

The two left the beach with little to say to the others sitting by the fire. Envy told Ivan she would see him at home, hurriedly walking off the beach without another word as Michael led her to his car, driving towards their neighborhood. They didn’t say much, Envy’s brain wracking with thoughts of their shared kiss, mixed with ideas of where he could possibly be taking her. They were growing nearer and nearer to her house, close to where she had met Michael the night they smoked his grandmas’ cigarettes. Her nerves were getting the better of her as she quietly asked  
“Michael? Where are we going?”  
He didn’t answer, pulling a left before driving to the side of the road and putting the convertible into a parked position. He gently took the keys out of ignition, the sound of metal filling the car as they clanked against the ring adorning his middle finger.  
“C’mere.” He said to her, climbing out of the car and into the road. Envy followed suit, looking to the right of the car where she saw an average home. There were bunches of red rose bushes lining the front yard, the only light inside came from a bedroom up top. Michael walked up to Envy’s side, gently taking her hand as she asked  
“Is this your house?”  
He nodded down to her squeezing her hand as he said  
“Come with me.”  
Envy was expecting him to walk her up to his house, her black boot moving forward into a premature step, just to be pulled to the left by Michael. She looked up at his face, barely illuminated by the lone street lamp on the other end of the dark road. She moved closer to him, skin crawling with goosebumps from both the cold and the mild state of panic she was in. But his hand in hers was motivation enough for her to keep walking until they reached the neighboring home; an oversized Victorian home, weeds grown over the black gate and red brick building.  
“This is where my parents lived. I was born here, and they died here”  
He said, voice monotone as he looked up at the house, then over at Envy. She was looking up too, marveling at the decrepit looking home. It dawned upon her that THIS was the murder house. The place of all those horrible breaks ins happened, those murders and suicides, all the unspeakable crimes that Anita had told her about. The creepy old haunted mansion at the end of the street her mother had talked about. A place that Michael used to call home.  
“My grandma used to live there when my dad was still alive… she moved next door after he died. And then she took care of me.”  
Envy’s attention turned from the house to him, her normally strong voice now softened as she asked  
“Have you ever been in there?”  
“Yeah, a couple of times, but nobody lives there now. It was so… empty. I just.. I couldn’t imagine what it was like for my mom.”  
He said, trailing off as he looked in through one of the front windows, Envy looking at him the whole time. She could tell he was getting lost in thought, his mouth agape as he reflected.  
“Will you walk me home?”  
She asked, tenderly tugging at his hand to snap him out of whatever dark headspace he was slipping into.  
“I was going to bring you to my house… my grandmas asleep, I could sneak you in if you wanted.”

The two snuck in quietly through the back door of Michaels house, walking up the stairs as silently as possible in attempts to not wake Constance. He held her hand all the while, slipping through the door frame with Envy connected at the wrist, smile on her face  
“Your beds… tiny.”  
She said quietly, both confused and amused by the bedframe which was far too small for his tall body.  
“I know… I hate it.”  
He laughed, sitting down on the blue bedspread. He watched her closely as she slowly looked around the room. She noted that it seemed a bit juvenile for his age, let alone his style. He always seemed so dark and brooding, wearing all black and acting like he hated people. But the room had light blue walls, small toys and Tchotchkes on his countertops, and no real signs of darkness. Like they'd never gotten around to redecorating once Michael had grown up. She'd half expected to walk into a black dungeon with satanistic posters on the walls, but that in fact was not what she walked into. Envy leaned down to unzip her boots, asking  
“Do you have a shirt I can wear? This dress is killing me.”  
while adjusting the lacy strap that had been digging into her shoulder all night. He watched as her slender fingers fiddled with the small piece of fabric, swallowing thickly as he nodded, rummaging through his dresser drawers in search of a big shirt. Almost everything he owned was ill fitting for even him, all clothes from his smaller form, which he pushed to the bottom of the drawer in hopes that Envy wouldn’t see. He eventually found one, a big black long sleeve, which he handed to her saying  
“I have pajamas you can wear”  
Holding up a pair of soft flannel pants with skulls embroidered on them. She laughed, grabbing the shirt from him and saying  
“I’ll be fine, this is gonna be a dress on me. Very fashionable though.”  
He smirked, looking away as she turned and started unzipping her dress, the lace slipping off and pooling around her feet on the floor. He tried his hardest to look away and ignore it, but he surely sneaked a peak at her smooth pale skin and perky ass, covered only by a thin piece of black lace. He thought about what it would be like to touch her, to be intimate with her, but the thoughts typically passed without incident. He shook his head, then turning to disrobe himself, putting on a t shirt and the pants he had offered to Envy, throwing his black and red garb from the dance onto the floor.  
“Sorry that dance was shit. I’ve had a really nice night with you either way.”  
She said in a hushed tone, now wearing only his shirt, which did in fact fit her like a dress, covering past her thighs.  
“We can have our own dance here… your music’s better anyways.”  
He said, smirking as he spoke quietly to her. She nodded, prompting him to walk over to the black cd player, which he flipped on, the quiet sound of her cd slipping through the speakers. Michael walked over to his door, which he locked before turning off the light, leaving the room lit by his vintage looking moon and stars nightlight. The shape of light filled stars danced around the room as he turned to face Envy, saying  
“I don’t know how to dance… don’t laugh at me.”  
“Neither do I, just, put your hands here, yeah you got it.”  
She laughed, directing his hands to her hips as she placed hers on his shoulders, intertwining behind his neck. They were silent, looking at each other in adoration as the music quietly hummed in his room.  
_‘The only thing I'm really sure of, I'm unsure of almost everything, But I know, I know I only wanna talk to you…’_  
One song led to another, and one thing led to another, the two kissing as the songs switched. This kiss was needier then the first, Michael grabbing onto her hips, Envy running her fingers through his soft curly locks, which he greatly appreciated. Her mouth opened up, tongues gently grazing one another as Envy laid back onto the undersized bed behind her, leaving Michael atop her. It was overwhelming for her, hands shaking as she kissed her way down his jawline, gently sucking on his neck. He was so warm, and smelled so heavenly to her; she couldn’t stand it. She wanted all of him, but knew she couldn’t have him. Not tonight.  
“Michael..”  
“Mmm?”  
“Can we just lay here?”  
She said weakly, holding back a moan as his lower lip graced her skin. He retracted, getting up off of her before saying  
“Yeah, sorry. You don’t have to stay if you don’t want”  
She could hear the disappointment in his voice, like shed hurt his feelings.  
“No, don’t be sorry. I just… I just want to be here with you for a minute. Just to be close to you. C’mere.”  
She got up so she was sitting on the bed, taking his hand as she moved up to the front of his bed to lay down. It was almost too small for her, having to curl her legs up towards her chest, Michael having to contort himself around her as they spooned. She held his hand, guiding it to wrap around her as they pulled the blankets up and over their bodies.  
“You’re so warm Michael.”  
She said lazily, wiggling closer to him. She had been cold all night, and god did he feel good. He blushed at her dumb compliment, breathing in her sweet scent as he nuzzled up closer to the girl in his bed.  
“I know you hate it here, but I’m glad you had to move.”  
He whispered from behind her, holding onto her stomach. He could feel her heartbeat in her belly, finally slowing down as she fell closer and closer to sleep.  
“You make this place better… I’d rather be here with you.”  
She said quietly, her eyelids hooded as she started to nod off in his arms. And for the first time since she had left El Dorado, Envy was truly content with her miserable life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EEEEEP they finally kissed. That took a while. Hope you guys enjoyed, school has been an absolute nightmare recently, so please forgive me if its another week until i post again. ♥♥


	7. the morning after

Envy awoke before Michael that next day, the sun barely cresting above the horizon and seeping past the window. Her eyes were still coated in makeup, blurring her vision as she feverishly rubbed them. Michael laid besides her, breathing slowly as he slept. She rolled over, watching as his chest rose and fell, thinking of how effortlessly handsome he was. His hair had fallen from its more styled state the night prior, resting on his forehead, almost long enough to cover his closed eyes. She wanted to wake him, lay there with him all day, but she knew she needed to go home. She was sure to be reamed by her parents for not calling them, especially since she didn’t come back to her house that night.

It took everything in her to pull her sleepy body up off the mini twin bed, looking around the room to find her clothes. Once she had her things gathered, she took a last look at the man curled up in the unaccommodating bed space, leaning down to place a kiss his forehead before leaving his bedroom.

She took care to walk down the stairs as quietly as possible, making sure to take each step with care in hopes of not waking his presumably sleeping grandmother. But to her surprise, the blonde woman was sat at the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette in a floral-patterned morning robe, as if waiting for Envy to show her face.

“Well what do we have here?”

She said, scaring Envy half to death. She jumped, muttering a

“Jesus fuck.”

“I’m a god-fearing woman, watch out for that kind of language in my house.”

She said, waving the cigarette at Envy who had now started slowly making her way into the kitchen.

"I’m Constance.”

The woman said, holding her aged yet feminine hand out for Envy to shake. Envy hesitated before taking it, saying

“I’m Envy… Michaels friend. You’re his grandmother, right?”

The woman nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Did you want a drink? Some tea perhaps?”

The woman said, trying to warm up to the girl standing in her kitchen. The sight of Envy was not something she had expected when Michael said he had a ‘friend’. It was a pleasant surprise. Constance noted the girl’s beauty, and loved that Michael was happy. But god did she hate the idea that her grandson was getting himself so invested in a girl. He wasn’t capable of it, whether he knew it or not. He was out of his depth, and so was she, neither of them understanding the severity of the situation given Michaels uncontrolled power.

“No thank you, I have to go home. I shouldn’t have been here.”

Envy said, trying her hardest to sound kind as she slid on her shoe.

“It would behoove you to put on some pants before you leave here… the neighbors don’t take kindly to this kind of thing.”

“I am the neighbors.”

Envy said, slipping on her second boot.

“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into little girl. Watch out for that house next door. Walk the other way.”

Constance said sternly, pointing at the girl with her smoking hand. She knew that there would be far too many questions and interferences from the spirits next door if they saw Michael had been spending his time with a girl.

“I live the other way. Nice to meet you.”

Envy said, unsure of why this woman had been so warm just moments ago, yet so cold the next.

“You too, Miss Envy.”

 

Envy made her way down the block with no pants on, Michaels shirt covering her next to nude ass. It was like a special walk of shame. She wasn’t embarrassed; she was nearly incapable of being embarrassed, always walking with her head high. Even when she got distasteful glares from the neighbors driving past, she continued on unbothered. She was almost proud of herself, parading into her house.

“Where the fuck have you been?!”

Her mother yelled, standing perched at the kitchen island, awaiting her daughter’s arrival.

“I fell asleep at Michaels house, I’m sorry. It was an accident.”

Envy said, bracing herself for the onslaught as she plopped down on one of the barstools.

“You couldn’t have called?! You don’t even have the decency to do that? Your brother told me you said you were coming home!”

“I was planning to mom. I didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

“Well it is Envy. You’re still my daughter. I forbid you from seeing that boy. You had me worried goddamn sick. I don’t trust him and I barely trust you.”

Her mother spat, frustrated beyond belief.

“Mom you can’t do that and I think you know it. I’m not a little kid anymore.”

Envy groaned, holding her own.

“Oh I absolutely can.”

“You don’t even know him; how can you say you don’t trust him?”

“You’re right, I’ve never met him! How can I trust somebody who hasn’t ever tried to meet me or your father, and doesn’t get you home on time? Scratch that, couldn’t get you home at all!”

Envy groaned, leaning over and laying her head on the cold granite counter tops. She didn’t want Michael to meet her parents. As a matter of fact, she hated the idea and had vowed not to let it happen. She knew they would harangue him beyond belief. But she couldn’t handle the headache of having to sneak around behind her parents back (or more so than they did anyways) in order to see him. She HAD to see him. He was a need for her. If that meant he had to meet her parents, then so be it.

“Fine. You win. Can Michael come over for dinner tomorrow? So you can meet him and see how wrong you are?”

She said, head still buried under her dark hair, voice muffled into her shirt sleeves.

“Yes. Have him here by 6… I don’t want to eat late.”

Envy leaned back up to a standing position and nodded, watching as her mom walked over to the kitchens island, grabbing a red envelope, which she tossed over to her daughter.

“And here are your pictures… I got them printed for you.”

“Mom I think there was a screw up with these prints… there’s weird lens flares and shit.”

Envy yelled over to her mom, nervously flipping through the small collection of photos. She noted that the one similarity in all of them was black red and white lens flares around Michael. At first, she thought it must have been an issue with lighting, but deep down she knew there was simply no explanation for the anomaly before her. The first 4 photos all had the odd lighting, almost looking like little orbs around Michael. ’ _Maybe bugs? Some schmutz on the lens?’_ she asked herself, trying to come up with a reason for the odd photographs. And it almost worked until she flipped to the final photo, the only one where the two were actually facing the camera. Something was incredibly off. Chills ran up her spine as her stare honed in on Michael, who’s normally baby blue eyes were now fully black. She didn’t want to look anymore, stomach churning as she flipped the pictures over face down onto the counter, quickly standing up to walk out of the room.

“There’s something wrong with your camera.”

She sputtered to her mother in the living room, before charging up the stairs.

 

Envy woke up that night to the same thudding sound shed heard a few nights before; Michael. She didn’t hesitate to get up from her bed. This time she KNEW she had left her window closed, and locked, since there was a storm brewing outside when shed fallen asleep. Rain splashed into her bedroom as she walked over to the window and looked out at the boy, drenched on her front lawn.

“It’s pouring out Michael what are you doing?”

She yelled down to him, hoping the sound of the wind and rain would hinder her parent’s ability to hear her from the other side of 2ndfloor.

“I just wanted to see you, actually this time!”

He yelled, arms crossed and hood over his soaked wet hair.

“Come up here, its nasty out. I’ll be lonely in this big bed without you.”

She said, causing Michael to blush as he nodded, walking towards her front door.

Envy walked quickly out of her room, down the stairs to unlock her door and let him into the house. But to her surprise, he was already inside, kicking off his wet black sneakers.

“My door was locked; how did you get in here?”

She said, both impressed and alarmed. Strange things happened when Michael was around, and while she tried her hardest not to think too hard about it, it was something she started to take note of.

“The front window”

He lied in attempts not to freak her out. He couldn’t exactly tell her that he had trans mutated his way into her home, so the window story would have to do. He could tell she didn’t believe him, but they left it at that, walking up the wooden stairs to Envy’s room.

“It’s so nice in here.”

He said as he examined her living space as she had the night before. The walls were painted an off white, curtesy of the previous home owners. There was art and posters everywhere, pink and blue colored fairy lights hanging from the ceiling and draping by her queen-sized bed. Michael noted the smell of vanilla tea and sweet flower, just like Envy. He looked at her dresser, covered in hair products and perfume, as well as the shiny black nail polish she always wore, bringing a small smile to his face. He reached the wide windows at the far wall of her room, looking out at the trees wavering in the wind. He walked to the shelving unit by her closet, filled with CDs and movies. He admired her love for music and film; it was something he hadn’t been indulged in. She opened his eyes to something new every time they drove together. He could listen to her talk about it for hours.

“Did you make these?”

He asked in awe, looking at a series of paintings on her walls. They were acrylic pours, looking like small square oil spills. He grazed his fingers over them as she spoke

“Yeah, they aren’t great... but I needed to put something up on my walls. It was so boring in here when I moved in.”

“I love them.”

He said, taking a particular liking to one with shades of black and red.

“Come here, you’re soaked.”

She said, gesturing for him to join her on her bed. She didn’t like showing her art to people, let alone talk about it with the boy she liked.

“Take those off, it’s alright.”

He hesitated a moment before taking off his drenched sweatshirt, followed by his pants, leaving him only in a pair of boxers. She admired his muscular form, so well-toned. Like a god. He watched her closely as her eyes scanned his chest, before she snapped out of it and invited him into her bed. His chest was still incredibly warm even though he had ben out in the cold wet just moments ago, but again she didn’t question it, snuggling up to him

as she turned on her small tv, some bad horror movie playing in the background as she spoke to him

“I met your grandma today. I don’t think she liked me very much.”

Envy said in a somber tone as she looked down at her bedspread, tracing her fingers over the small red flowers on her duvet.

“What did she say to you?”

“Not a whole lot, but I could tell.”

“How could somebody not like you?”

He asked innocently.

 “I did sneak into her house to make out with her grandson at 1 am.”

She said, shrugging as she looked into his eyes.

“She loves me... so she’ll get over it. I’m sure she’ll love you too.”

“I hope so. My mom was absolutely pissed I didn’t come home last night. She said I couldn’t see you anymore unless you met my parents.”

Envy said, rolling her eyes as she recalled the encounter.

“I’d like to meet them. Do you think they’d like me?”

“How could anybody not like you?”

She said, repeating back his own words to him. He smiled, taking a deep breath before he said

“When do you want me to come over?”

“Can you come tomorrow? After school?”

He nodded before closing his eyes and groaning

“I can’t drive us tomorrow. My grandma took the car.”

“That wouldn’t have anything to do with me sleeping in your bed last night would it?”

_I don’t have my license because I’m not 17._

“Maybe. I don’t know.”

“We can drive with Ivan. It’s my car too, even if I crashed it.”

This earned a smirk from Michael.

 They watched the rest of the movie, The Omen III, or at least Michael did, as Envy fell asleep on his chest, gently breathing on his peck as he played with her hair. He knew he needed to leave, as it was 2 am now, and Constance would surely have his head if he wasn’t home in the morning.

He was gentle with her, slowly sliding out from under her and adjusting her body so she was tucked under her red covers, head resting on the pillows. _‘So beautiful’_ , he thought, whispering the mantra as slid on his still wet pants, followed by the t shirt and walked to the window.

But unnoticed by Michael, Envy had woken in the process. Just barely, but enough to watch him through hooded eyes as he walked towards her window instead of the door. ‘What is he doing? He wouldn’t possibly _jump_ from there!’ She thought, watching as he opened up the glass fixture and got onto the ledge. Before she could react, he disappeared. Out of thin fucking air, gone. She jumped up now, heart racing. She ran to the window, dreading the sight of him presumably on the ground, probably with broken limbs. Instead, she saw him, reappearing on her front lawn. It happened far too fast for him to have possibly landed the 25-foot jump and gotten to her driveway. She watched him walk away down the street, at an ungodly speed for somebody walking on foot. He cut through the rain, like his entire body was water repellent, not a single drop touching him as he swiftly disappeared from her line of vision.

Envy’s mouth hung open, no explanation for the odd occurrence, as she leaned against the window, and spoke the only thought she could muster up.

_‘Oh my god, what have I gotten into?’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Michael's powers are out to play folkssss


	8. dinner

Michael walked out into his kitchen with a smile on his face the next morning, sitting down at the table next to his grandmother. It was her spot, almost always sat with a Marlboro cigarette. Michael was convinced she would die in that very seat.

“I met your little friend the other day”

She said dryly, passing him a box of cheerios.

“I heard.”

He said, starting to pour cereal into his bowl, then shoveling a hearty spoonful of it into his mouth.

“I don’t know what you think this house is, but I won’t let it turn into your own personal brothel. I don’t care if your body says otherwise, you’re still my grandson. And I’ll tell Miss Envy that too.”

She said, her southern charm barely softening the blow of her harsh words. She put a strange inflection on Envy’s name when she spoke, that made Michaels blood boil.

“You don’t speak to her like that. She’s a good person, like you.”

Michael said, his age showing as his voice waivered like a child. She watched his face, seeing his clear passion for the girl. His voice was stronger now, sitting straighter in his chair as he continued

“And if you’re planning to demean her or say anything negative, I won’t listen to it.”

“This is my house, and I’ll say whatever I please in it.”

She said, no longer mad about Envy, but about her grandsons’ attitude.

“I have taken care of you since the day you were born, Michael Langdon. I have given **_everything_** to you, don’t you forget that. Remember who you’re goddamn talking to. Now go, you won’t be late for another day of school because you were driving that girl around.”

Michael stood up rapidly, shoving his chair back as he walked to the door, but not before looking Constance dead in the eye. Her cigarette was pulled from her hand by an invisible force, landing on the floor and being put out on its own. She knew what he was doing, fuming as she stared at him.

“Watch yourself Michael.”

“Goodbye grandma.”

 

Michael sat on the outside porch of the Morris residence in silence that morning, wanting nothing more than to see his counterpart. After an unpleasant interaction with Constance, he needed to see Envy’s happy face walk through that door. But he didn’t get that. She looked exhausted, walking out behind her brother and his girlfriend. Her hair was in a high pony, eye makeup dark and smudgy. She wore a ripped black graphic t and leggings, looking like she had just woken up moments ago.

“Are you okay?”

He asked as they walked to the car, noticing dark purple circles under her normally bright eyes.

“Yeah, didn’t sleep too well last night.”

He moved his hand out to touch hers, picking it up in his and gently squeezing in hopes it would bring a smile to her face, even her plump lips turning into a smirk, but it didn’t. She squeezed back, looking away from him and out the window for the duration of the short ride.

 

Envy spent nearly the entire day trying to wrap her brain around the strange occurrence last night. But her thinking did no good, only furthering her confusion. More questions started arising, about not just the night before. When she thought about it, things like this happened quite often when Michael was around. The paint can falling out of nowhere and nearly impaling her art teacher, the window to her door being opened from 25 feet off the ground, Michael somehow finagling their way out of homecoming an hour early. The latter event had her brain turning to mush, as she knew Michael wasn’t a particularly manipulative individual. He must have said something alarming enough to get that man out of their hair.

Michael watched her as she sat on the other end of the art room, a few seats over from where she usually sat, looking wildly confused. Her brows were furrowed as she drew, tracing the same line over and over for the duration of the class period, before the two met back up at her car with Ivan and Brigit.

 

Michael and Bridgit had both come over right after school, after their ritualistic carpool home. Envy brought him up to her room, listening to music to pass the time before her parents arrived home for dinner.

Michael was far from a typical teenage boy. He was emotionally inept in most ways, but he could tell when something was wrong. He could sense a shift in Envy that had been present all day, but didn’t have the maturity or coping skills to fix it, instead opting to lay with her in silence on the bed, holding her hand and listening to the sweet stylings of her CD collection.

“I don’t want them to hate me Envy, it would make seeing you so much harder.”

He mumbled as they walked down the stairs.

“Michael they wouldn’t let me see you **_at all_**.”

“Well I could work around that.”

He said, somewhat smug with himself. She rolled her eyes before saying

“Well duh. They’re gonna like you. Stop worrying.”

He nodded as she pushed a piece of his shaggy blonde hair behind his ear, then gesturing for him to walk into the dining room.

The dinner that evening was nothing short of uncomfortable, the only solace being the presence of Bridgit. Having Ivan’s significant other at the table took some of the pressure off of Envy.

“So, Michael, how exactly did you meet Envy?”

“We have art class together, I uhm... I got a bloody nose the first day and she walked me to the nurse.”

Michael said shyly, under-sharing details about that day in class.

“Oh. Do you get those often? Ivan used to get them all the time as a kid.”

Her dad said, trying his hardest to be kind to the boy.

“Not usually.”

“Probably just the weather changing.. it’s getting colder.’

Bridgit said with a forced smile, knowing damn well that the Morris parents had no idea what to say to Michael. She herself didn’t either, Ivan just as bad. Nobody wanted to offend Envy or her friend, so they sat in silence, Michael growing more nervous with every bite of the chicken Envy’s mother had cooked for them.

“Envy is a really good artist. I’ve seen the stuff she does, so talented.”

Michael said, praising Envy who hadn’t spoken more than once since they had sat down at the table.

“Yeah she’s very gifted in arts.”

Her dad said, trying his hardest to sound sincerely excited. Her father had always loved her for who she was and would have let her do most anything, even if he hated it. He wanted bigger things for her, but unlike his wife, knew it wasn’t worth it to bicker about.

“So Michael, are you looking at colleges yet? What do you plan to study?”

Her mother asked the loaded question, judging him without actually saying _‘you’d better be going to college if you plan to see my daughter.’_

“No, I’m not sure what I want to do yet.”

He said, looking pale in the face as her mother took a swig of her wine.

“Interesting. Planning to _just go to art school like Envy_?”

Envy didn’t look up from her plate, forking her pasta, swirling the spaghetti around the piece of cutlery and letting out a small scoff.

“What?”

Her mom said, clearly pissed off.

“What could you possibly have to be groaning about?”

She continued on, sitting up in her chair.

“I like how you’ve never had a good thing to say about it when were in private but as soon as I bring somebody around you act like you’re happy with me. You don’t have to put on a big fucking show because Michaels here. I’m sure you wish I was in an accounting class or some shit, instead of an art class with him. You don’t have to pretend you’re proud. Just because hes not going to Harvard doesn’t make either of us any less talented or smart then you”

She blurted out harshly, looking her mother dead in the eye.

“What has gotten into you Envy?! I never said that I wasn’t proud of you.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not true though does it. Go ahead Mom, tell me you’re proud that im not getting into an ivy league school, that I’m not dating a fucking architect.”

Envy said, voice raised now. Her mother was grinding her teeth, jaw quietly clicking before she said

“You know I love you.”

“Then fucking act like it.”

She said, standing up from the table.

“Great to see you Bridgit.”

She said, grabbing Michaels shirt sleeve and gesturing for him to follow her from the table. He hesitated, standing up and saying

“Thank you for dinner,” as he followed her.

“Envy stop, sit back down.”

Her father said, the turning to his wife and saying

“Dear lord, Anna, you had to start this tonight?!”

As Envy and Michael left the room, walking to the back door.

 

The two walked into her backyard, Envy barefoot and frustrated as she walked to the side of the house, rubbing her eyes.

“Sorry. I couldn’t let her treat you like shit. Or me at that.”

She said coldly, turning to look at Michael. He was silent, looking at her and wondering why she had snapped so bad.

“What?”

She snapped, watching him stare at her like he was winding up to say something. She knew he was upset but was in no state to coddle him about it after spending the past 24 hours wondering what was going on with him.

“Why have you been so cold to me all day? What did I do to you?”

He asked angrily, arms up in frustration and defeat. Tensions were high. He was never aggressive with her, or even rude (in exception of their first run in), making it all the more distressing to Envy. She hated it, his voice a low growl as he looked at her with piercing blue eyes. She had been holding back from going off all day, but she could no longer contain it as she stood before him in the yard.

“Michael, I saw you, d _isappear_ , out of my window the other night. I played it over and over in my head, and tried to come up with an excuse, but I just couldn’t. You transported. I don’t know how you did it but I know what I saw.”

“I don’t.. I, I don’t know what you mean. I went through the front door. You must have dreamt it.”

He said, sounding unsure and uncomfortable as her stare stayed on him, unwavering. He wanted her stare to leave his being, but it didn’t as she continued on.

“It’s not just that Michael. I mean, how is it that you got my window open? It was locked, I’m fucking sure of it. Was that paint can falling over on the first day _YOU_? And I mean, why didn’t any of that rain hit you when you were walking home last night? It was like you were gliding through it. And I saw the pictures of us from homecoming… there was weird lights around you.. and your eyes.. they weren’t your eyes. It all doesn’t add up Michael, so much weird shit happens when you’re around.”

She said, baffled as she looked from him to the side and then back, eyebrows lifted away from her darkened blue eyes. He looked like a deer in headlights as she spoke, heart beating out of his chest. Truth be told, he was just as confused as she was.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, but I’ll leave you alone if you want. I don’t want to upset you or your family, I’ll go.”

He said harshly, hoping it would discourage her from talking about it further. He went to turn around, planning to leave her yard and walk home.

“Baby please, stop. Please. Just tell me what’s going on. I can’t handle this if you won’t talk to me.”

She said, sounding desperate as she reached for his arm. She knew she had been standoffish to him all day, and was damn sure the berating from her or her mother didn’t help. She was shocked that she had called him _baby_ , the word slipping through her mouth in the heat of the moment before she could stop to think. He was just as surprised as he turned back around to look at her. She had broken his harsh wall down; he had watery eyes as he whispered

“I don’t want to scare you away.”

“I don’t scare easily.”

She said boldly, face serious. He was taken back by her boldness, voice shaky as he spoke to her.

“I just, sometimes I just think things, and then they happen. I’ll get upset and things will knock over, or I want something to happen, and it just happens. Like when I unlocked the door, it was like magic. I know it sounds stupid but I don’t even know what I’m capable of.”

She looked shocked, mouth parted like she was going to say something, but no words came out. He continued, feeling the nervous need to fill the open air space.

“My powers… I can’t control them, and it’s not safe for you to…”

“I don’t care.”

She said softly, cutting him off. No matter what he said, she knew what she wanted, and that was nothing more than to be close to him. She leaned forward, moving to kiss his cheek, but he turned so their lips would meet. She kissed him like she meant it, wrapping her arms behind his neck. He scooped up her legs

“You don’t scare me, I don’t think you’ll hurt me. You’re incredible Michael.”

“You don’t think I’m crazy?”

She shook her head no, leaning her forehead against his.

“No.”

He pulled her in closer, hugging her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.”

“It’s okay Michael, I know. I get it.”

She whispered, nuzzling her face into his neck.

“Envy! ENVY.”

She overheard the sound of her brothers’ voice, accompanied by Bridgit talking in the background, whisper yelling from his bedroom window up above.

“Ivan, fucking _what?!_ ”

“Mom and dad are by the living room window, I’m sure you don’t want them to see you crawling all over your boyfriend after your little outburst.”

He snapped back, trying to help her. Michaels face turned a flushed red at the word boyfriend. He hadn’t asked her out, as he wasn’t experienced when it came to these things. But the idea of being her boyfriend was enough to get his heart racing all over again.

“Alright, I’ll be right in.”

“Hurry up, I don’t wanna play watch for you all night.”

“ ** _I’ll be right in_** _.”_

She hissed back sternly, her brother slamming his window closed in response. Michael gently put her back down, her bare feet hitting the wet grass as she quietly said

“I’m sorry about all of tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow okay?”

He nodded at her, leaning down and gently kissing her cheek before he turned to walk home.

“Envy?”

“Yeah?”

"Why did they call me your boyfriend?"

He asked, digging for her to say the word.

"Are you not?"

She said with a smirk. He smiled back, looking up at Ivan window to make sure nobody would see him, then transporting himself to stand mere inches away from her, filling the gap between them. Her eyes lit up as he leaned down to give her one last kiss on the forehead.

"I guess I am now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really appreciate the comments from you guys saying you're excited for more:) . (also fuckin hyped for the Apocalypse finale, lets hope they don't kill our dear Michael). 
> 
> AND SHE FINALLY KNOWS HES GOT POWERS, YAY.


	9. halloween pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this ones gonna be split into 2 chapters, the second part should be up within the next couple of days ❦ 
> 
> warning, it's gonna start to get smutty hereeee

Envy and Michael were inseparable after he told her about his powers, spending nearly every waking hour together, against the wishes of their guardians. He had been so scared that he would lose her after telling her, but it only brought them closer. His grandmother had always told him to be careful with his powers, to hide them. Not to tell or show a soul. He had always listened to her, but Envy was the exception. She was so fascinated by him. Even the smallest display of what he could do was incredible to her.

 

“Did you have any wild plans for tonight?”

She asked, walking on the far end of the curb, dragging her fingers along the rungs of a neighbor’s fence. The sound of her rings clanked against the black metal as she walked along.

“No, why would it?”

“It’s Halloween Michael.”

She said, laughing as she looked at him.

“I’m not big on Halloween. Every day of my life is creepy already.”

“So? Don’t you want to be somebody else for a night? Maybe get a little _extra_ creepy?”

She said, poking his side. He flinched with a laugh before nodding, saying

“You could come to my house; my grandma is going somewhere tonight. We can hand out candy.”

“Well you’d have to dress up. I can’t be seen with a guy dressed like himself on Halloween… that would just be embarrassing.”

She said over dramatically, flipping her long hair back behind her ear as she spoke.

“What do you suggest I be then?”

“Why do I have to choose for you?”

“I want you to pick, since you’re such the expert. wouldn’t want to embarrass you with a shitty costume.”

 

 

Envy lied to her parents about her whereabouts that evening, saying she would be with Anita, hoping they would only suspect she’d be going to a party. While a normal 17-year-old girl wouldn’t want her parents to think something like that, she’d rather that then them know she was alone in an empty house with Michael on Halloween night. Since their dinner, the relationship between Envy and Anna had been more strained than usual, the two ignoring each other when they saw one another walking around the residence. It was uncomfortable, but Envy had learned to live with uncomfortable.

She had run to the store with Anita that afternoon in a last-minute attempt to buy costumes, scavenging through the empty isles merely hours out from Halloween night.

“This place is fucking wiped out, I’m going to have to be a damn cat. All they have left is ears.”

Anita groaned, pushing aside the remaining costumes left on the racks.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a cat. you’ll be a cute cat.”

Envy said, digging through one of the bins of glow sticks and discount face paint.

“I don’t want to be cute, I’m going to a party with Mark, I have to look hot. A **sexy** cat.”

She whined, begrudgingly grabbing a pair of glittery black cat ears and sliding them on over her head of blonde hair. Her bottom lip pouted in annoyance, which Envy rolled her eyes about.

“You really aren’t coming? You could bring your little boy toy.”

Anita said, watching Envy grab onto a pair of devil horns.

“Michael hates going out, neither of us are the party type. Besides, we have to hand out candy to the kids, his grandma won’t be home.”

“Oh Envy, you won’t be handing out candy.”

Anita proclaimed, eyebrow raised as Envy turned to look at her.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, home alone with your boyfriend, on Halloween night? Don’t be so naïve. I’m sure he’s gonna try something. You haven’t slept with him yet have you?”

The thought that she would be alone with him hadn’t ever equated _fucking_ in Envy’s mind. He never pushed her into things, or tried anything like that with her before, so why would she have thought of a night alone like that? Whether it be because he wasn’t experienced enough or because he was too nervous, Michael wasn’t overtly sexual with her. But _fuck_ , did she want him to be. The idea of him touching her, his soft lips on skin as he had his way with her; It was like her own personal slice of heaven. It was an intoxicating thought that she had more than she’d like to admit.

“Envy?”

“What?”

She said, snapping out of her haze and looking back to her friend.

“Shit, you’ve got it bad. Take advantage of the alone time with him, you need it.”

“Maybe I will, I’m not gonna get ahead of myself. He’s not like that.”

She said, trying to discourage her mind from running wild. She grasped onto a pair of white angel wings, the last set in the shelf, saying

“This will do I guess, since this fucking store is a barren wasteland.”

“I hope you’ll be the one wearing the horns, I’m sure you won’t be an angel tonight.”

 

Envy stood in his living room in a small white slip dress that evening, angel wings on her back as she helped Michael get Halloween ready.

“Fitting costume.”

He said quietly, admiring how heavenly she looked. Her usually straight hair was curled, halo on her head as she pulled a small container of red eyeshadow from her bag.

“I think you’re the real angel here… but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see you in red.”

She said, before stepping closer to him. She started gently swiping the warm color over his eyelids, which gently fluttered at the sensation.

“Cute.”

She said with a smirk.

“Really? Just cute? You’re putting me in women’s makeup.”

He said, jokingly. He wasn’t a toxically masculine individual, much to Envy’s delight, and had submitted to her request to put the eyeshadow on him. She knew it would look divine on his icy blue eyes.

“You look hot.”

This affirmation was enough to shut him up as she handed him a pair of devil horns. He looked down at them, hesitating for a moment before he smirked and slid them on.

“I see you dressed him up.”

Constance said, walking down the stairs and looking at the two.

“My little devil.”

She said, brushing her hand over his cheek, staring at her grandson in adoration before stepping back and looking at Envy.

“Don’t eat all those almond joys before the kiddies get here.”

She warned the two.

“Of course not.”

Michael said to her, watching as she pulled her bag over her shoulder.

“I’ll be back tonight, so don’t do anything crazy. Goodbye”

And with that she walked out into the twilight, hesitating before closing the door on her grandson and his lover.

“Where did she say she was going again?”

Envy said, popping a piece of candy into her mouth, the lemon-flavored sugar ball causing her mouth to slightly pucker.

“I don’t know, visiting family I guess.”

Michael said. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure about her whereabouts, but the few Halloweens that he could recall, he remembered she left him home with babysitters. He knew it was to visit somebody important, but that was the extent of his awareness of the situation.

“Mhm.”

She muttered, swallowing the food in her mouth before saying

“Wanna watch something scary? Something a little spooky for this lovely holiday?”

“Always.”

He said, grabbing the bowl of candy he had been instructed to hand out, walking to the front of the house and placing it on the deck before locking the door.

 

The two ignored the doorbell every time it rang that night, lights down low as they sat on the vintage leather couch together. Michaels arm was snaked behind her neck, playing with a curl of her long hair. She rested her head on his chest, trying her hardest to focus on the movie he had picked from the depth of Constance’s collection of old films, The Exorcist. The room was dark, only light being a dimly lit stained glass lamp and the visuals of a possessed young girl on screen, lighting up Michael’s face as he watched on. It should have been entertaining, but Envy couldn’t focus, only hearing Anita’s words replaying in her head. She was right when she’d said that Envy ‘had it bad’ for him. It was something Envy refused to talk about in fear that she would lose him, like speaking the truth about how much she loved him, how badly she wanted him, would scare him away. Michael was the same type of person as her. He was typically so strong, so unloving. He was somebody to fear. He was cold and unwelcoming to most of the kids in his school, even his own grandmother at times, but something about her broke him down. He was so gentle and sensitive with her, and that was something she wouldn’t dare to ruin. But tonight, she just might have had the nerve to try.

"Are you alright?"

He whispered, looking at her with lustful eyes. He could tell she was out of it, tapping her foot on the ground as she sat with him.

"Mmm."

She mumbled, nodding, eyes glued to the tv, watching the carnage play out on the screen in front of her. She could feel her heart speeding up at the idea of taking him upstairs, ditching the movie and going to his bed, which she tried to ignore. But Michael knew. He could sense it as he sat next to her, watching her uncomfortably shift in her seat as she crossed her legs, a clear attempt to stop the heat pooling between her thighs. Her eyes moved from the screen to him, and to her surprise he had done the same, attention shifting to her. His neck craned down, moving to kiss her. It was tender but so needy, he could tell she was holding back as she mumbled

“Can I try something?”

He nodded against her, lips parted.

“Go ahead.”

Her body was vibrating with nerves and arousal as she moved from her spot on the couch, now standing crouched before him. She leaned in to kiss him again, hands moving down his chest as his tongue dragged itself against hers. She could tell he was anxious, anticipating what she was going to do to him as her hands slipped further down, starting to unbuckle his black belt, followed by his jeans.

“Relax okay?”

She whispered as she got down to the floor. He nodded, instinctively spreading his legs so she could kneel before him, her hands adjusting his pants so his member could be freed from its constraints. His breathing was becoming faster, more irregular, as she watched her lean forward towards his cock.

“Do you want this?”

She asked, softly speaking as her stand started gently pumping his semi erect shaft. His eyelids hooded over his eyes as he hummed out a _‘yes’,_ prompting her to do what they both wanted to have happen.

She couldn’t help but admire how fucking beautiful he was, sweat glistening on his forehead as he moaned, hands grasping onto the back of her head as she started sucking him off. He was even larger than she had imagined, thick with a few veins protruding from it. Obscene noises filled the living room as she took him as far down her throat as she could fit, nearly drooling down her chin. It was filthy and he loved it. He pulled the halo off of her head, not only for better leverage, but for his own good. He didn’t need the visual of an angel sucking him off, even if he thought her to be one.

It took all the might in his body to muster up the words

"My grandmas going to come home soon.”

As she moved her hands down his leg. He hated the idea of stopping her; he wanted whatever she was willing to give to him, but simply couldn’t afford to have his grandmother walk in on him getting a blowjob from the girl down the street. He watched her stand up from her place on the floor in front of him, pulling her mouth from his now slick and swollen member with a ‘ _pop’_ , then moving to rebutton his pants, cock barely managing to return to its denim prison as she zipped his black jeans. He was absolutely throbbing with need for her now, almost immediately regretting his decision to stop her. His set of thoroughly dilated blue eyes followed her as she sat down on his lap. Awe masked his face as she wiped the corner of her glossy pink lips, then gently rubbing her thumb over his nipple through the red shirt he wore.

"Then take me somewhere Michael. Let’s go next door."

She lowly whispered into his neck, goosebumps rising to the surface of his flushed skin.

“We can’t go there..”

He whispered weakly as she moved in to kiss his neck. She had taken up a firm loving to kissing his throat, the feeling of his pulse, his breathing under the touch of her mouth on him; it was her favorite thing on earth.

“Nobody lives there, it used to be your house after all. Please, I want you.”

She wasn’t one to beg, but for him she would make an exception. She gently bit down on his skin, causing a low growl to erupt from his windpipe before he moaned,

“You know I can’t say no to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi that finale fucked me right up yesterday, really emotional about it. Planning to fix the ending in this story OBVIOUSLY because theres no way I'm letting a Subaru kill the actual fucking antichrist. Michael deserved a far better ending than that and we all know it. Hope you all enjoyyyy ♥


	10. halloween pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> smut shall ensue below

Michael didn't hesitate to answer her request, picking her up in his arms like she weighed nothing and carrying her out of his house. It was like a walking daydream as he ushered her up to the front of his old home, pushing open the rusted old gate and walking onto the lawn.

Michael had only been in that house once prior, when he was a young boy, not all that long ago. Recalled wandered out of his house while his grandmother was in the backyard, doing gardening of some sort. He made his way into the neighboring houses yard, walking in and seeing a woman in a long dress, with blonde hair pulled back into an updo of sorts. The memory was foggy to him, but he distinctly remembered that his grandmother snatching him out of the house only seconds after he'd walked in.

"NEVER go over there again Michael, it's not safe! This is your house, this is where you belong. You don't go next door, ** _ever_** again. Do you hear me?!"

That was a warning he had always heeded, never passing by the gates. He spent a great deal of time looking in the windows on his walk home from school, wondering what it was like inside. He felt an intense draw to that place, and had ignored that gut feeling for as long as he could remember, brushing it off as innocent curiosity. But tonight he didn't care. The perverse actions he made were something he would deal with later, waving one hand over the door knob, hearing it click, unlocking as he willed it to. Envy grinned up at him before pushing open to the front door to her boyfriend’s first home.

The house was exceptionally clean inside, considering it was allegedly unoccupied. The property hadn’t been purchased by a new owner in years, given its gruesome history, but based on the pristine, dustless furniture, and the shining wooden floors, the two assumed it had been cleaned recently. As if awaiting their arrival.

“Come here baby.”

He whispered, taking her hand, ascending the wooden stairs to get to the upper floor. Her heart fluttered in her chest, allowing him to lead her through the corridor, as if he knew the floorplan by heart. He looked in through a few doorways in search of his bedroom, formerly the twins nursery.

“Was this your room?”

She spoke lowly, walking into the now spare guestroom.

“Yea, me and my brothers. Neither of us actually lived here though.”

He said quietly, shutting the door.

“Why bother, nobody’s here but us.”

She said quietly, turning to walk to the bed, only to be stopped by Michael. Strong arms spun her around to face him, wasting no time in his pursuit to kiss her, to get her into bed. To touch her, be one with the girl he had fallen for, to get her into bed.

Envy was aching for his touch; she had been for weeks. She was in a rush of sorts, pulling him back towards the bed, laying down with him hovering over her as they feverishly kissed. She watched him above her, gently peppering kisses across her silky skin with his blue eyes fluttering shut, hands starting to tug at the bottom of her white dress until it was above her waist, exposing her red thong to him.

“Naughty.”

He said, slipping one finger under the fabric, pulling it down, the lace pooling at her feet. She was now spread open for him, hesitating before allowing him to make his way down her body.

“Michael?”

She asked without explicitly asking, but he didn’t stop, murmuring

“It’s my turn to try something.”

He gazed at her, so intimate as he moved in to lick a stripe up her dripping core.

“So _fucking wet_.”

Her breathing nearly halted, entire body tensing up at the new sensation of his mouth on her core. He was normally somewhat shy with her, his bold words causing her entire body to flush with arousal and nerves. Her hands instinctively grasped onto his hair, Michael emitting a low groan against her pussy in response. He began his work on her, tonguedipping into her, then making its way up to her clit. While he was inexperienced, Michael could tell what she liked, noting how she squirmed and moaned when he pressed his tongue to her clit, so he moved his hand to rub gentle circles over the sensitive bundle of nerved. He wanted nothing more than to please her, to make her feel incredible, and it was working. She tried her hardest to be quiet as his sweet mouth sucked and lapped at her, in fear somebody would hear.She wasn’t a shy or bashful person, but something about the sound of herself crying and groaning for him was too much for her to handle. But Michael didn’t like that one bit.

“Keep making noise baby, I wanna hear you.”

He moaned against her thigh, dragging his lips across her flesh before returning to her center. She nodded, trying to relax her tense chest, letting him hear how good he’d made her feel.

“How do you know how to do this so well… **fuck** ”

She whimpered, grabbing onto fistfuls of his soft hair more harshly now as she felt a hot knot forming deep in her stomach. She was nervous now, asking herself ‘ _is he actually a virgin? why is he so good at this?’_ But those nervous thoughts subsided when she looked down and saw him with closed eyes, gently working her. He looked enticed by every move she made in response to his touch, his eyes now open to look up at her. He looked like an angel, an etherial being sent to this earth for her pleasure.

“You’re so good Michael, come here.”

She stammered, pulling him up from her wet heat to lay atop her. He leaned in to her mouth, the distinct taste of her juices on his tongue as he hungrily kissed her.

“Take this off, c’mon”

She commanded, starting to pull the red shirt he wore over his head, hurling it onto the floor before running her hands over his toned body. He was something to marvel at, her mind hazy from the job he had done on her with his mouth.

“Have you ever.. been with somebody like this?”

He asked, scared to hear her answer, just as scared to say the words aloud. She had been with one man before Michael, and while she never said it outright, he knew. But the freshman year relationship had never reached the level of intimacy she had with Michael. She was too young at the time, giving no more than a halfhearted hand job to her then boyfriend.

“No. I think I knew somewhere deep down I was waiting for somebody. I was waiting for you Michael.”

She said, running her fingers through his hair. She took a deep and shaky breath, wanting to tell him desperately that she loved him, so deeply and truly. But she didn’t, opting instead to kiss him once again, before whispering

“Go ahead.”

The feeling of him pushing inside of her was both incredible and painful, a stressed whimper sliding past her lips as he watched her reaction.

“Are you okay? Am I hurting you?”

He asked nervously, watching tears fill her eyes as he stopped moving, stationary inside of her.

“Yeah, fuck, just keep going”

She said, legs curling to wrap around his waist as he started his motion again, going slow as not to hurt her. She refused to stop him, even if the burning between her thighs persisted. Envy knew he was loving her, and she wanted to feel the same.

It didn’t take long for her to grow accustomed to his generously sized member, pleasure starting to replace the stinging pain she had first felt. Michael could tell she was growing more comfortable, starting to pick up his pace, transitioning from gentle thrusts to a rythym that was much more deep and rapid.

It didn’t take long for either of them to feel their ends nearing, the two kissing and moaning within the confines of the bedroom they had broken into. She had her legs spread wide as possible for him to better allow his muscular frame to fit between, but they were starting to give out. She would have collapsed if it weren't for him holding her to the bed, shaking as she locked her hands to his soft hair.

“Are you close?”

She whimpered, trying her hardest to speak without crying or yelling, her body in a state of overwhelmed euphoria. He hummed out a moan, the only noise he could muster up, before burying his face in the crook of her hickey covered neck. His golden locks brushed against her cheek as he moaned, Envy listening to every unholy noise that came from him as his thrusts grew sloppier.

“Envy, _oh my god_.”

He choked out, voice cracking as he felt his orgasm starting to boil over within him. Michael watched her reaction to this, grabbing onto him more excessively than she had been prior.

“Cum baby, please.”

She choked out, rolling her hips against his one last time before he lost it, orgasm erupting in his abdomen, filling the girl below him with his cum. She moaned all the while, her walls tightening around him as her own climax started. He couldn’t peel his exhausted eyes from her, watching her back arch up and off the mattress, her tits pushing up against his chest. He let out a whimper, feeling her contract around his twitching cock as she came along with him.

The two were both short of breath as they came down from their highs, Michael slowly pulling out of her, watching his own fluid spill out from her raw hole. He was in awe of her, of what she had let him do to her most intimate parts. His mind was foggy as he gently ran a finger over the wet mess, rubbing it against her skin before climbing under the sheets with her, leaning against her chest. He could hear her heartbeat like a hammer as he wrapped his arms around her ribcage, holding her torso like his life depended on it.

“I love you Michael.”

She said quietly, pressing her eyes closed, scared to see his reaction to her confession as she held his hand below the sheets. He was silent, causing her stomach to drop. Could she have really read him so wrong? She could have sowrn he felt the same after the show he had just put on, fucking her into oblivion.

“Look at me.”

He said sternly, propping himself up on his elbow to look down at her. She shook her head no, eyes still shut.

“Envy, _look at me_.”

He said, his hand grasping onto her jaw to turn her, now facing him. Her eyes opened slowly, facing the man before her. She had half expected him to be angry, or scared. To be looking back at her like she was a crazy person. Instead, she was greeted by wide blue eyes, lovingly looking into hers as he spoke

“I love you too.”

Those were words that the pair seldom heard from the people in their lives, so when they said it, they meant it. Both Envy and Michael felt like outcasts, within both their small social circles and their own families, but that no longer mattered. They had each other, and would hold onto that as long as possible, walking through life together in their shitty little suburban neighborhood, and their miserable high school experiences. All that mattered was each other.

“So much.”

She said, voice weak as he crawled his way up the bed, face to face with her as they embraced, nothing but love as they nodded off in the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long to post, I just lived through the busiest week ever and didn't have a free moment. Hope the wait was worth it for some wholesome smut!


	11. murder house

Michael was gone from the bed when Envy awoke the next morning, covered in sweat and makeup from the night before. Her white dress was slightly ripped at the bottom and riding up her thighs, thanks to her boyfriends handy-work. She didn’t appreciate that he had left her there, but didn’t care enough to worry about it at the moment, more concerned with getting up and out of the house they had broken into.

Envy gathered herself quickly, barely having the opportunity to walk down the creaking wooden stairs before she heard mumbles coming from the basement below her. She was a generally superstitious girl, and the house itself made her nervous. There was no solid proof, but she could sense something was incorrect with that place. It gave off an overwhelming negative energy without even entering. Just on her walks with Michael, or her car rides past the place she could tell, and actually being on property only heightened the feeling.

Her speed of walking increased as she barreled down the stairs, creeping towards the door with her angel wings in hand. But as she grasped onto the doorknob, she heard another thud. Her head spun, messy dark hair flying over her shoulder as she watched a red balled roll its way out from the hallway, a low moan coming from the other room. Her heart was beating hard, feeling like it was in her throat as she considered walking around the corner to see what It could have been. But the thought of the heinous things that had happened in that home ran chills up her spine. And for once, she listened to her gut, swiftly opening the front door and walking outside, away from the Murder House.

 

Envy didn’t see Michael until the following Monday, spending the whole weekend sore yet content thanks to his abilities in bed. Anita had called her, demanding to hear the details of the encounter, even the most intimate parts. Envy withheld some information, but included just enough for her friend to squeal in excitement directly into the receiver.

“Oh my god, you fucked him! You did it bitch! Were you his first? Was he big? How was it?”

Anita pestered, making Envy laugh.

“I’ll tell you about it in art.”

But Envy never made it to art that day. She didn’t even make it off her front lawn before she saw Michael dressed in his typical all black clothes, running up the sidewalk towards her.

“Envy!”

He yelled to her, walking up beside her, wide eyes and a smile on his face as he leaned down and kissed her. She was less than thrilled with him for leaving her alone after fucking her, but she couldn’t help but kiss him back.

“Where were you Saturday morning? Not very nice to steal somebody’s virginity then ditch them in an old creepy house. That place is scary.”

He grinned at her, much to her surprise, before saying

“Do you really think I would let anybody, or anything, hurt you?”

She felt foolish now, shaking her head no.

“I don’t need protecting… I can handle myself and we both know it, but I still don’t want to be left in an abandoned crime scene alone at night. What was so important that you had to go?”

He was quiet for a moment before saying

“I didn’t go Envy, I was still in the house.”

She cocked her head to the side, wondering what in the hell he was doing, walking around the empty house when he should have been sleeping. This was obvious to him, her arched eyebrows now furrowing.

“After you fell asleep, I heard voices in the hallway, and then a door opening downstairs. So I, I went downstairs to see what was going on”

““It was probably just the neighbors. Its an old house, the walls are paper thin.”

She’d had a strange feeling about that place from the start, and after seeing the ball fly out from the hallway when she left after Halloween, she wasn’t so sure that feeling was wrong.

“There was a woman.”

“There was somebody _in the house_?”

“Yes, somebody I remembered from when I was a child.A blonde woman, wearing this Victorian gown, blonde hair. She was crying, she was so upset, something about a baby. Her name was Nora, I think her child died. She said she remembered me, that she knew my dad.”

“She must have broken in like we did, maybe she’s one of the neighbors or something…”

“No, Envy she used to live there. She looked the exact same as she did when I saw her as a kid. She had on the same clothes. Like she hadn’t aged a day.”

“Just because she was wearing the same shitty dress that she did when you were a kid doesn’t mean anything, she just likes wearing ugly stuff I guess… that’s impossible Michael.”

“No its not. You know better than anybody that stuff like that is possible.”

He wasn’t wrong. If you had asked her just a few months ago if she thought she would ever date a boy with other worldly powers like the ones he possessed, she would have thought you were crazy. So why was the idea of a spirit roaming the halls of that *possibly* haunted house so out of the realm of possibility?

“Okay, I believe you.”

She said, looking deep into his light blue eyes, like she was staring deep into his soul. She knew he held so much pain regarding his family. He loved his grandmother, but that wasn’t a substitute for his parents and siblings.

“I want to show you… she said there were others there. My family, Envy.”

He said, trying to contain his excitement as he gestured for her to follow him up the road to the house.

“Baby we have school, I shouldn’t go back there, I don’t feel right going in there.”

“Env, please, you have to believe me. Just please come with me.”

He said frantically, holding her one hand in his two.

“Alright. Let’s go then.”

 

Michael was in an overly frazzled state as he dragged Envy back to the house, her nervous the whole time. No part of her wanted to go back after hearing those noises the other morning, but she would have done next to anything for that boy, including breaking and entering for a second time in the frame of a week.

“She was down here…”

He trailed off, opening the door to the dingy basement, walking down the creaking stairs as his combat boots scuffed against the wood. Envy followed behind him as he scoured the room, the woman he was in search of nowhere to be found.

“She must be upstairs. Nora!”

He yelled, walking up the stairs towards the living room, yelling for the woman in hopes she was still at the house.

“Please!”

He yelled out, desperate now. He knew Envy didn’t want to believe him, and he hated looking delusional to her.

“You need to exit the premisis. You don’t belong here.”

A voice said, causing the pair to turn around, now faced with an older ginger woman dressed in a maids outfit.

“Who are you? I heard you talking to somebody. Is Nora here?”

“I don’t know what you’re implying, this place has been empty for years. The only person who comes here is me, I clean the place every few weeks.”

While Michael didn’t know the woman, he could tell that she was lying. He had seen the blonde woman with his own eyes, even talked to her, just the other day.

“I know you’re lying. You don’t fool me. I spoke to her just the other day.”

He said, standing tall in front of the maid, who seemed taken aback.

“I know all about you, Mr. Langdon, and I know the former residents of this house do not want you here. I won’t ask again, if you or your friend have any shred of self-preservation then I suggest you go.”

She said firmly, seemed genuinely upset that Michael was there. Envy didn’t understand why, her hands shaking as she reached to hold Michaels.

“Nora isn’t the only person here is she?”

He said, voice weak as he came to the realization that this woman knew his parents, his family.

“I think you know the answer to that question. Now go.”

“Lets just go baby. C’mon.”

Envy said, her eyes shooting like daggers at the woman before them. His entire body was tensed up, anger in his eyes as he took her hand. She couldn’t even get him to the door before she felt his fingers intertwining with hers, grip tight as he stopped walking.

“Michael?”

She whispered, looking up at him, lids hooding over his ever-darkening eyes. She knew he was about to pull something, but she was unsure of what until he did it. Envy watching as the curtains on the far wall lit up in flames, singeing immediately.

“Holy fuck.”

She said, impressed and alarmed, watching the maid run to the curtains, slapping her rag against them in an attempt to stop the flames. Envy grasped onto his hand harder, pulling him towards the door as he snapped out of his maniacal haze.

“Shit Michael, I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Neither did I.”

 

 

The pair didn’t go to school that day, opting instead to go to a local park. They spent the day in an odd frame of mind after their altercation with the maid. Envy was flabbergasted by the pyrotechnic display her boyfriend had put on, scaring everybody in the room shitless, himself included. He had been capable of small displays of powers for as long as he could remember. But never anything so drastic.

Once the sun started setting the two parted ways, Envy returning to her home as Michael did his. He didn’t make it more than a foot in the door before he was greeted by his grandmother yelling.

“Michael Langdon, what in the hell is wrong with you? Do you take me for a fool?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He said, just as angry with her as she was him. He knew something was going on over there, but up until today he wasn’t sure what. But now, after hearing that maid talk about his family, he knew. They were there, just like Nora.

"Jesus H Christ Michael, what could you possibly have been doing next door?! You know that place is dangerous! How many times have I told you not to go over there?! Did you bring your little friend with you?”

“Why didn’t you tell me I could see my family?”

He said, shaking with anger. He had wanted a family so badly. Constance was the only person to ever know him, to help him, nurture him. But he ached to meet his mother, even his father.

"That place isn't safe, the spirits roaming those halls want nothing more than to hurt you."

"You're lying, you didn't want me to meet my father because you're scared I'll be like him. Your own son."

Michael said, his voice a bassy shout.

"You don’t know what you’re talking about, you’re out of your **_goddamn depth_**. Don’t you fucking dare go over there again.

“I know you visited my dad on halloween. I may not have seen him, but he’s alive over there just like Nora. They all are. You said they were dead, gone, but they weren’t. You’re a liar.”

He hissed, tears welling up in his eyes. He felt a vibrating rage building up in his deepest parts, an anger he hadn’t felt before. He couldn’t help it. And before he could think better of it, he was holding her by her neck, her eyes wide open as her hands flew up to grab his. His grip tightened as he stuttered out

"You won't tell me what to do anymore!"

Squeezing as the sound of his grandmothers gasps and gags filled her room. Malevolence was taking him over It wasn’t long before his usual self had returned, snapping out of his violent outburst, horrified at what he had done. His hands flew back and away from her, mouth hanging open as tears rolled down his face.

“I, I’m sorry… I don’t know what’s happening to me.”

He choked out as Constance breathed heavily, looking at her grandson in shock. She hadn’t a single thing to say for once in her life, watching the man she knew to be her baby grandson, whimpering and crying before her. And while she was terrified, she loved him nonetheless, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. His tears soaked her dress, wrapping his arms around her like the frightened child he was. It was easy for her to forget how old he really was; he looked like an adult, and almost always acted like one, incredibly mature given his circumstances, but moments like these reminded her of who and what her grandson really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI I know I said this last chapter but I'm really sorry this took so long. I'm in college at the moment, and its finals season and its taking up every waking hour of my time. After next week ill be posting more regularly since my last final is on the 17th. Hopefully I'll finish the next chapter before then though. Also, thank y'all for the comments on the past few chapters, they are greatly appreciated :)


	12. sunset

From that day forward, Constance understood the depth of darkness within her grandson. She knew he was something special from the day he was born, not necessarily in a good way. When he was young, or younger than he was now, he would kill small animals, not unlike her son Tate had. He would make things move without touching them, or seemingly transport himself across the room. She had always known he was capable of magic, of violence, but she never imagined he would enact that upon her.

 The next morning was painfully tense in the Langdon household, Constance refusing to outwardly acknowledge her grandson when he walked into the living room. She could tell that he was shaken by his own actions from the night before, not looking at her as he shuffled towards the door.

“Not having breakfast? I bought fresh fruit from that little Korean shop on the other side of town just yesterday.”

She said dryly, not looking up from her newspaper.

“I’m not hungry.”

He said, not bothering to stop what he was doing as he walked out the door without another word, planning to go meet Envy before class.

 

The morning was uneventful for Michael, but the same couldn’t be said for envy. She had gotten barely an hour of sleep the night before, and not for the expected reasons. She was not bothered by his powers, as Michael assumed she was. She was trying to wrap her brain around why the maid had been so nasty with him. What could he have possibly done to upset her, let alone his family? Were they still there? Who was still living in that house? She couldn’t find an answer to any of these questions, only finding herself more confused as she sat on her bed, thinking into the wee hours of the night.

Michael could tell she was tired, yawning as they walked to school. She said next to nothing, greeting him with a gentle kiss on the cheek, then walking beside him in silence. It was going to be a long day for her, only to be made longer and more frustrating by a boy from her French class.

It was passing time between her math class and art, which she had originally been dreading. She hated that she was so confused and conflicted about Michael, and hated that it showed to him. He was sensitive and she knew it. Acting odd towards him would only hurt his feelings, and it was the last thing she wanted to do.

She stood in front of her locker, planning to grab a few things and go to her class, but was heavily distracted by a boy staring at her, visible from the corner of her eye.

“What are you looking at?”

She said, opening her locker as she turned to face the boy beside her. She recognized him from her French class; he sat behind Anita. He had never spoken to the two of them, but she knew he was somewhat of a pig, always checking out girls’ asses when they walked by, making crude comments to his friend who sat beside them.

“You.”

She scoffed, assuming the man would leave her alone as she grasped her water bottle from her locker.

“Well, you can stop any fucking time now. I’m sure you have something better to do.”

“Not really, I was gonna ask you for the French homework, I know you sit in front of me, you’re friends with Anita. I’m Jack, by the way.”

He said, sounding proud with himself. On any other day, Envy would have most likely fed into the kids’ conversation, been affable enough, and let it be. But she was at her breaking point after spending the night overthinking, nonstop panic. She had little to no patience for the cocky asshole standing beside her.

“didn’t do it. Sorry.”

She said dryly, slamming her locker shut and turning away from him, planning to walk away.

“ I mean, we could do it together. Maybe do something else after.”

He said smugly, clearly suggesting more than just homework and a movie.

“Charming, but no. I have a boyfriend. Anything else?”

She snapped, not even expending the energy to turn and face him as they walked through the halls, him trailing inches behind her.

“Oh really? Does he go here? He wouldn’t have to know.”

“He does actually, and I recommend we leave it at that.”

“I could take anybody in this school, who here is lucky enough to get to tap this?”

He said, hand grazing over her ass. Envy’s blood was boiling as she grabbed his wrist, twisting it and spitting though gritted teeth

“Well, Jack, Michael Langdon gets to _tap this_. And I guarantee that if you touch me again you’ll fucking regret it.”

“Michael Langdon? I could fuck him up. That kids a fucking freak. His dad was a murderer. Bet his cocks small, I could make you feel better than that sick little fuck ever could.”

He said, continuing to pester her.

“Believe me, you couldn’t.”

She said, no longer joking as she walked towards the art room for her final class, Jack still walking behind her as she rounded the corner. Before the boy had an opportunity to turn away, finally giving up on his hopeless pursuit to get Envy to fuck him, he was greeted by Michael, standing outside the art room, waiting for his girlfriend. Although she had been somewhat unemotional with him that morning, there was no sight she would rather have seen than his warm face waiting to greet her. She sped into his arms, his wrapping around her as the boy stood before the two of them, rolling his eyes before saying

“Well here he is in the flesh and blood.”

“Is this asshole bothering you?”

Michael asked Envy, staring forward at him. Just his gaze was enough to alarm Jack, who didn’t like the way the man before him stared. His blue eyes were menacing, sizing him up like prey. 

“Yes, but he’s not worth it.”

There was nothing Envy would have liked more than watching Michael pulverize the jock asshole into the ground for her, but she knew it wasn’t safe to get him going. After setting the shades on fire the day before, she knew he was a loose cannon and wasn’t in the mood to push him.

“You aren’t worth it, bitch. Stay with your little sicko. You must be as fucked up as he is to want to date a piece of shit like that.”

The boy’s words were cut short by the acute feeling of his windpipe closing up, throat being choked by an invisible force. His nose started bleeding soon thereafter, running down his face not unlike it had to Michael on his first day in that same art class.

“Michael stop, we’re at school, don’t. Please.”

Envy whispered, watching the boy squirm for a moment more before Michael released him, unclenching his fist.

“Don’t ever call her that again.”

He growled, then taking Envy’s hand and walking towards an exit door with grand plans of skipping class, leaving the boy a gasping bloody mess in the corridor. 

 

They snuck out the back door that day, then going back to Michaels house where they sat on his porch. The sun was setting earlier in the day, cutting their time together short, but that day they didn’t care, sitting in the cold under one of Constance’s many knitted blankets. There was a strange feeling in the air, like there was a shift in energy. A palpable sense that something was off. This was fully supported by the swarm of crows flying around, circling from the neighboring houses, to the murder house, and then the Langdon residence. Michael watched them intently, finally looking away to catch a glance of the girl sitting beside him. 

“Are you mad at me?”

Michael asked her quietly, looking off into the blaring light of the sun on the horizon.

“No, no Michael. I just, I’ve had a hard couple of days. I haven’t been getting sleep, I’m just so stressed out. My mother made me pick a fucking college the other day… she wants me to go to Boston University, they have a good business program.”

“…You’re going to college?”

He said quietly in surprise. Envy had assumed he knew. That he would have just known that she was going. But the look of shock on his face proved otherwise.

“Yeah. I, she’s making me. I have to. I need to.”

“You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to. She can’t force you to go away, I wouldn’t let that happen.”

Sincerity filled his voice as he looked down at her, running his fingers through her dark hair ash she leaned over to lay in his lap.

“I know.”

It was silent again as they sat on the old wicker bench, watching the sky slowly fading to dark.

“You could come with me Michael. You’re intelligent, smarter than me. I know you could get in wherever I do.”

She said, rolling over so she was looking up at his face. She could see his eyes closing, then a tear gliding down his face.

“I can’t.”

“Well why not?”

She asked, hand moving up and wiping the wetness from his face.

He couldn’t answer her. There was no correct or calm way to explain it to her, that he couldn’t leave Constance, or his family that he had yet to pull from the shadows next door. That he couldn’t leave his grandmother as he wasn’t truly 17. That he wouldn’t make it in college, as he wasn’t a registered citizen, that he was technically 8. He had truly matured, grown into the adult body he was blessed with, and aged mentally to the place he looked to be, but that didn’t change the date on his birth certificate.  He couldn’t go with her, and there was no way to let her know.

“Constance wouldn’t let me leave LA.”

He said, pulling himself back together as he blinked away his tears

“I’ll stay here then. I can go to UCLA.”

“Your mom wants you to go to Boston Envy.”

“I don’t care what she wants Michael, I just want you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one, sorry my dudes. Next one should be longer (I'm pretty excited to finish writing the next few chapters, shits gonna get real very soon)


	13. snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning, theres self harm in this one, so if you're uncomfortable with that then just ignore the second half of this chapter.

 

Envy woke up on the couch at Michaels house the following morning to the sound of her cell phone ringing next to her head.

“Envy?”

The sound of Anita’s piercing voice blared from the speaker as Envy groaned a

“Hello?”

“Fuck, did I wake you up? Sorry.”

She said apologetically.

“No, well yeah, I mean it’s fine. What’s up.”

Envy said groggily, rubbing at her eyes as she slowly sat up off the couch. She hadn’t meant to sleep there, but she had been so sleepy the day prior. Michael’s bed was simply too small for the too, which typically didn’t stop them from using it anyways, but it seemed as though she had fallen asleep where she sat that night. She scanned the living room, expecting to see him in the adjacent recliner, but saw nothing of the sort, all alone in the room as Anita continued on.

“Well I just wanted to see if you were up and going, I wanted to get breakfast and Mark absolutely bailed on me, little asshole.”

Envy smirked before saying

“Fuck it, why not.”

“Okay, meet me over at the coffee shop in Beverly Grove in an hour, I need a tea desperately.”

Anita said, audibly elated as she hung up.

Envy needed to say goodbye to Michael and get going, swiftly getting up off the soft vintage couch, stretching her sleepy arms up to the ceiling. She figured he was upstairs, quietly ascending the stairs and walking to his bedroom.

The scene she encountered was something she couldn’t have possibly expected or prepared for, a mess his belongings strewn about the room as he slept. But stranger than the mess was the frigid conditions in the space. It was nearly freezing in there, as if there was a blizzard isolated exclusively to his living space. She could have sworn she’d seen snow in the air as she gasped, walking to Michaels side as he laid in his small bed, fists clenched.

“Michael?!”

She said in shock, shivering as Michael snapped out of his haze. His eyes were almost all white when they shot open, quickly shifting back to their usual shade of blue as he shot up from the mattress, looking at Envy.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know, I just walked in and it was freezing in here. It was fucking snowing in here, what were you doing?”

She said, feeling the temperature start to return to its normal state. He rubbed his head, slowly sitting up and groggily saying

“I was having a dream, I don’t know what happened.”

“Are you alright? I was about to go, but If somethings wrong I’ll stay with you.”

She said, sitting down on the cold comforter next to him. She was deeply distressed about the situation, knowing damn well that wasn’t a normal occurrence for him, but she couldn’t show it. He shook his head side to side before saying

“I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“You don’t scare me, remember?”

She said softly, a small smile sweeping over her face, prompting Michael to do the same.

“I’ll see you soon okay?”

She whispered, kissing his forehead.

“Mhhm. Call me later.”

 

Envy was nearly late to breakfast that morning after having to walk home and pull herself together in mere minutes before even getting into her car to drive across town.

“Sorry I’m late, weird morning.”

“It’s fine. Where were you yesterday?”

“I left early, Michael didn’t feel well.”

She lied, twiddling with her thumbs.

“Sucks that you did, because Jack Tanner got beat up in the hall by the art room. He got choked out by somebody, had a bloody nose and shit, serves him right for being such an asshole.”

Anita recanted, laughing at the idea. Envy swallowed thickly before asking

“Did he say what happened?”

“No, he refused to tell anybody what happened, he wouldn’t say who did it. Had to go to the nurse and everything.”

“He probably deserved it.”

Anita nodded, taking a bite of her bagel before saying

“You know I’m your number 1 fan, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say you look a little rough today. Could that have anything to do with a certain boy?”

While normally Envy would be annoyed by such a snide remark, Anita was completely correct. Envy had tried to cover up the dark circles under her eyes and pull herself together when she had gotten home, but it was a fruitless effort. She looked exhausted.

“Yeah. Haven’t gotten a whole lot of sleep recently

“I could… I could feel the energy in there. There’s something so dark about that place.”

“What happened?”

Anita pestered, looking at Envy in awe as she took a sip of her tea. It took a moment for Envy to calculate her statement, pulling at the sleeves of her sweatshirt. She knew she had to flip and edit her story, taking a drink of her latte before saying

“We just… nothing happened really, we slept together clearly. But afterwards in the morning, I felt it this weird vibe. It was almost tangible. His parents died there Anita, it’s like they were there. I know that sounds batshit crazy, but I felt it. Their spirits, I could just sense it. There was something there.”

Her tone was quiet and severe as she looked at her friend sitting across from her. Envy didn’t like lying to her, but what was she meant to say? ‘He fucked me, then I went on a witch hunt to meet his ghost friends’?

“That’s fucked up. I told you that house was fucked up.”

Anita said, leaning back in her chair as the pair looked out the café window in silence.

“It most definitely is.”

 

 

Envy sat in her living room that evening, painting her toes instead of working on her many class assignments, wanting nothing more than to disappear. After her outing with Anita, she spent the afternoon thinking about Michael. Thinking too hard. About the crows that seemed to follow him and circle his property, about the snow in his room, about the way he had effortlessly attacked their classmate in the hall. It was all becoming too much, and fast. Something about him had changed since they had sex in that god-forsaken house next door.  Something in him had been awoken, and she knew it. Whether it was coincidence or the house, she could sense it. It kept her up at night, made her feel sick. Yet she was still so drawn to him. Her happiness relied upon him, and nothing was more overwhelming to her than that feeling of dependence.

“Envy, have you finished filling out the common app yet?”

Her mother asked from the couch opposite her. Envy didn’t bother looking up as she finished her last swipe of black polish over her toes, screwing the cap back onto the bottle before she blankly said

“Not yet, the due dates in a month.”

“You shouldn’t finish it December 31st, don’t wait until last minute to apply for Boston.”

“I don’t want to go there mom, I’m only applying to UCLA.”

Anna sat up straighter in her chair, looking at her daughter intently as she spoke

“You hate it here, you said so yourself. You need to go to Boston, you loved it there when we toured last year.”

“Things have changed I guess.”

Envy said quietly, not in the mood for a fight even if she knew one was about to happen.

“I know what’s changed Envy, and I won’t let you base such a big life decision around a boy you’ve only known for half a school year, I just won’t. That’s absurd.”

“Absurd is moving me away from home against my will, then trying to force me to move across the country.”

Envy said, not even looking at her mother.

“If you wanted to stay here for your own reasons, I would understand. But that’s not the case. You may think you’re smart, but I’m smarter Envy. I was just like you when I was your age, caught up on a boy, smart and stubborn. But I know now that it’s not worth it. I won’t let you make such a dramatic mistake just to be with that boy.”

Her mother said, both stern and sincere. It was true that Envy was like her mother, much to her displeasure. She denied it, but it was the truth.

Anna watched as Envy started to unravel in front of her, tears forming in her eyes. She was never emotional in front of people, aside from Michael as of late, but especially her mother.

“I can’t do this today Mom. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

She choked out, standing up and walking up the stairs, leaving her parent in the dust.

 

Envy busted into her upstairs bathroom in a fit of sadness that night, after a short lived bought of crying in her room. She hated crying, but couldn’t get herself to calm down and stop. Instead she chose to go to the bathroom and cope one of the only ways she knew how to.

Self-harm was something that had followed Envy since she was 14, a bad habit she thought she’d broken years ago. It was something she was deeply ashamed of, so much so that she had never told a soul, even her own twin. But much to her displeasure, it wasn’t something she could shake. Regardless of the therapy and pestering, let alone the inner guilt and shame she felt herself, it never truly went away. Self-harm always came back to Envy during times of stress and sorrow. Even if it had been weeks, months, even years, the pattern was never truly broken.

She sat on the edge of her bathtub feeling particularly numb, watching as the small red line on her wrist spread, dribbling down her thigh in a warm crimson stream.  She almost immediately regretted it, rubbing at the open wound in an attempt to get rid of the shameful self-inflicted wounds. She only got a minute into it before the door of her bathroom glided open, the distinct shape of her boyfriend standing before her,

“Michael? How did you get in here?!”

She stammered, flabbergasted.

“You didn’t call, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

He said quietly, furrowed brow as he walked over to her, unsure what had happened or what to do about the blood coming from her,

“I’m sorry,”

She spurted, trying to cover her wrists. But he wouldn’t let her, taking her hands.

“No, no no. Don’t be sorry”

He said, shaking his head at her, wiping a tear from his face before leaning down to hug her.

“What’s wrong Envy, talk to me please.”

Michael insisted quietly, wrapping a nearby towel around her wrists.

“My mother, Michael. This whole thing with college, and being here.”

His eyes were fixated on her, waiting for her to elaborate.

“She’s not happy with me, she never has been. She wanted me to take ballet, and wear dresses, and be a social butterfly, and I just couldn’t. I never could. And now they want me to go to some Ivy League college… follow in their footsteps and become a doctor or work for a law firm or some shit. Like that could ever happen.”

She said, frustrated just from talking about her mother. Envy and Anna had never been close. Her mother had high expectations for her daughter from birth, and while Envy was a bright girl, she wasn’t bright in the ways her mother wanted her to be. She shined as an artist. A writer. This had never cut it for Anna, and the disappointment only grew as Envy got older.

"I think you could do anything you wanted to do. You can be anything you want to be. You’re the brightest person I’ve ever known.”

He said sincerely, wiping away her tears. He pulled the towel off of her wrists, exposing her fresh cuts, before he hovered his hands over them. Like magic, the wounds started to disappear. Her jaw dropped, watching the blood go away at his touch.

“Don’t ever do that again, please.”

He said, leaning his head onto her shoulder.

“I won’t. I’m sorry Michael.”

“I need to be better for you. I’m gonna help you stay here. We’re gonna figure it out.”

“I hope so Michael. I do.”


End file.
